Nursery well-being programme aims to prevent mental health problems

Founder Laura Earnshaw first set up the ‘myHappymind’ initiative in primary schools, drawing on her own experience of teaching Harvard business school leaders resilience and well-being.

The programme is now available in nurseries for two-to four-year-olds and early years practitioners.

Ms Earnshaw told Nursery World that the idea for myHappymind came to her after her son Oscar experienced difficulties settling into Reception.

‘When my son was four he started school and found the transition very difficult,’ she said. 'The school told him to “man up” and have a stiff upper lip.’

She realised that some of the techniques that she had been using to teach leaders could be adapted, such as mindfulness, and how to develop a positive sense of self to build happiness.

‘A few months later the school asked what I was doing with Oscar. I explained that I’d been teaching him coping strategies. They said they had other children, who were not suffering with a major mental health concern but were children with mild anxiety. They asked if they could use some of the tools with them.’

About three years ago myHappymind was launched in primary schools and is now in schools from London to Scotland. The primary school programme runs from Year 1 to Year 6.

Ms Earnshaw said, ’I really wanted to introduce it into early years and bring it into nursery. It’s all about prevention, so that children won’t need mental health support when they are older.’

Large nursery groups, such as Kids Allowed and Kids Planet have signed up, as well as small settings. ‘We’re starting to get more and more nurseries signing up.’

The programme for nurseries is available for all children and for the nursery staff as well. ‘It’s as much for the staff as for the children,’ she said.