ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted growing levels of poor mental health in children and young people in the United Kingdom (UK). Schools can play a central role in building protective environments around children, creating opportunities to develop their characters, and intervening to support wellbeing when children are struggling. This chapter, and the case studies within it, reflect on how schools and educators/practitioners can use humanistic and positive psychology to understand children’s positive wellbeing and resilience, embed character education into school practice and foster positive relationships and school belonging. Child, practitioner and school case studies are used to encourage reflection on how theory and research can be utilised to improve our understanding and support for children who are experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing in a post-pandemic world.
