02/09/2026
💔 When a 6-year-old reaches a mental health crisis, we need to pay attention.
New figures reported by NHS Digital today show a deeply concerning rise in children and young people attending A&E with mental health concerns.
In 2025, 75,491 children and young people aged 6–17 attended emergency departments with a recorded mental health concern — 36% higher than in 2019.
Even more concerning, among children aged just 6–9, attendances increased by 62%.
Behind those numbers are children.
🌟 Children who may be anxious but don't know how to explain it.
🌟 Children who feel overwhelmed, angry, frightened or withdrawn.
🌟 Children who may simply say, “I'm fine,” because they don't yet have the words for what they're feeling.
✍️ Could something as simple as handwriting help?
Handwriting isn't a replacement for professional mental-health care — particularly when a child is experiencing significant distress or crisis.
But writing can become one supportive tool in a child's emotional wellbeing toolkit.
Regular, calm handwriting and journaling activities can give children an opportunity to slow down, focus their attention and put difficult thoughts and emotions onto paper.
In my Handwriting Development & Graphotherapy programmes, I work with children through structured writing exercises designed to encourage:
🧠 Focus and concentration
💜 Emotional expression
🌱 Confidence and positive self-image
🧘 Calm, mindful writing habits
✍️ Better handwriting and writing confidence
Sometimes children cannot tell us everything they're carrying.
But perhaps we can give them another way to express themselves.
A pen.
A piece of paper.
A few quiet minutes.
And an adult willing to listen.
Let's help our children grow into confident, emotionally aware and resilient adults — one stroke at a time.
Shilpa Basu
Write2Evolve Analytics
Evolve the mind through your handwriting
📞 0772 008 9955
📧 [email protected]
💻 Online Sessions | UK Based
