A kind gesture can offer comfort, but lasting healing takes time. As Mental Health Awareness Month shines a light on children’s emotional wellbeing, Girls & Boys Town South Africa is calling for greater understanding, stronger support systems and safe spaces where vulnerable children can begin to heal.
A child can have a warm bed, meals and access to education and still struggle with feelings they cannot easily explain.
For children who have experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment, the journey towards feeling safe again can take much longer than it takes to meet their physical needs. Rebuilding trust, learning to express emotions and developing a sense of belonging often require patience, consistency and professional support.
This is the message behind Girls & Boys Town South Africa’s (GBTSA) call for greater awareness of children’s mental health during October’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
The organisation is encouraging South Africans to look beyond what they can see and consider the emotional experiences that vulnerable children may carry with them.
Research highlighted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) points to the scale of the challenge. A systematic review found that approximately 10.1% of young people in South Africa experience depressive disorders, while 6.7% experience anxiety disorders and 17.6% experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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These figures highlight the importance of recognising emotional distress early and ensuring children can access appropriate care.
According to GBTSA CEO Karen Farred, children need more than protection from the circumstances that have hurt them.
They also need opportunities to rebuild trust, develop meaningful relationships and understand that their past does not have to determine their future.
For some children, emotional distress may appear as withdrawal, anger or behaviour that adults find difficult to understand. Rather than responding to these signs with punishment alone, caregivers and educators can benefit from considering what might be happening beneath the surface.
A child who struggles to trust adults, for example, may need time and consistent reassurance before feeling comfortable enough to open up.
Recognising these experiences does not mean overlooking boundaries or difficult behaviour. Instead, it means responding with an understanding that emotional wellbeing and a child’s circumstances can be closely connected.
The importance of safe, nurturing environments is also emphasised by UNICEF South Africa, which recognises the role of supportive relationships and access to quality mental health and psychosocial services in children’s wellbeing.
For vulnerable children, however, feeling safe may not happen overnight.
Consistent care, patient listening, clear boundaries and access to appropriate professional support can help children develop healthier ways of managing their emotions and building relationships.
GBTSA incorporates these principles into its work through residential care, therapeutic programmes and support services designed to help vulnerable children develop coping skills, rebuild confidence and participate positively in their communities.
The aim is not simply to help children move beyond difficult experiences, but to give them the support they need to grow, develop life skills and imagine a future that looks different from their past.
This message was central to GBTSA’s Hug Campaign, held on 3 October 2026 as part of its annual Hugtober initiative.
The campaign uses a simple gesture to highlight something that can be overlooked in conversations about child welfare: the importance of connection and belonging.
A hug can offer reassurance and help someone feel valued. But the organisation’s message goes further, encouraging South Africans to recognise that emotional healing requires continued care long after a moment of comfort has passed.
Through Hugtober, members of the public can support GBTSA by purchasing a R20 Hug of Hope sticker or making a financial donation towards its work with vulnerable children and young people.
Individuals, schools, workplaces and community groups can all participate in helping the organisation provide care, education, therapeutic support and nurturing environments.
Farred says small acts of kindness matter because they can help children feel seen and valued. However, she emphasises that what follows those moments is equally important.
Continued encouragement, stability and support can help children begin to feel secure and build confidence in their future.
Supporting children’s emotional wellbeing is not solely the responsibility of mental health professionals or residential care organisations. Families, schools and communities also have an important role to play.
Adults can make a difference by creating opportunities for children to speak openly about their feelings without fear of judgement.
Paying attention to changes in behaviour, taking children’s concerns seriously and helping them access professional support when necessary are also important steps.
Schools and community organisations can contribute by creating environments where emotional wellbeing is discussed openly and asking for help is treated as a positive step rather than a weakness.
These actions are particularly important for children who may struggle to communicate what they are experiencing.
Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to start these conversations, but the responsibility to support children continues throughout the year.
For GBTSA, the message behind Hugtober is ultimately about ensuring that vulnerable children receive more than a fleeting moment of comfort.
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