13/02/2026
🧠 For Children’s Mental Health Week, we caught up with Kris, one of the Health Care Support Workers on Ward 4, the National Child Psychiatric Inpatient Unit.
Just as it’s important to break the stigma around mental health conditions in adults, children can also need help with their mental health – and this year's theme is ‘This is My Place’.
“Children’s Mental Health Week is a celebration to highlight that the young people in the children’s hospital have mental health just as much as physical health,” said Kris.
“We’re all part of the world and we all need help at some point in our lives. Sometimes that can be pretty early in life. That’s the theme we’ve been using on the ward; we’ve done a big globe to show how we are all connected.”
Ward 4’s dedicated team work with young patients dealing with serious mental health conditions, always promoting a friendly environment that puts their interests at the heart of their care. 💙
“I would hope nobody would need a tier 4 service for mental health. But the support is in place if it is needed. It’s a light environment where people are really friendly, and we take things at the children’s own pace.
“We try our best to get things right for that child, and also include parents as much as possible. There is a lot of choice in all aspects of their care. If you must be here, it’s a friendly environment.
“We also promote independent advocacy, to allow the children to know their rights and what they have a say in.
“Compared to a medical ward, it can feel that our patients can be in for a long time. But we always work towards discharge and implement day passes, getting away for the weekend, sitting and having a meal with family. It replicates a typical home life before full discharge, which is always what we’re working towards.
“We’re lucky to have an outdoor space, soft play, art play, schooling, and through Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity some gaming and digital play. We provide a survey to young people when they come in to say yes, no or maybe to all the things that are available and let young people come up with their own ideas themselves.”
