Why It’s Time for a National Focus on Early Years Mental Health
The Government’s Best Start in Life strategy signals a long-awaited investment in babies, young children and their families. From expanded childcare entitlements to new Best Start Family Hubs, this is a bold and necessary re-commitment to early childhood. At Minds Ahead, we welcome the ambition. But if this strategy is truly to succeed in giving […]
Beyond Borders: What Indonesia’s ‘Connect to Care’ Programme Can Teach UK Schools About Mental Health
At Minds Ahead, we believe that improving mental health in schools is a global mission. While every education system has its own context, the core challenge is the same: how can we equip schools to become truly mentally healthy spaces for all children and staff? A recent blog on the Mental Health Innovation Network introduced us to […]
From Insight to Action: How Schools Can Respond to the Children’s Commissioner’s Call on Mental Health and Poverty
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead In July 2025, the Children’s Commissioner released a stark report: Growing Up in a Low-Income Family. The findings were confronting—children describing shame, hunger, overcrowding, and fear. But they also pointed towards solutions. This blog is a direct response to that call. We ask:What can schools […]
Mental Health in Schools: We Can’t Ignore What’s Really Going On
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead “Schools can’t solve poverty. But they can change lives.” “I felt lesser. Ashamed. Exposed. And unsafe.” I grew up in poverty. I know what it means to feel less than, to carry a quiet shame about the things you can’t afford, the places you can’t […]