Save Space for Safe Space

By: Kelgie Ong

Diary, an example of safe space, in the prospect of children.

Every people encounter different problems every day. Whether it is a big problem or a small problem, it is still worth sharing. People who need to share their problems are commonly the ones who are not that strong in personality and are still carried away by the cruelty of life. Alarmingly, children are included in these types of people.

Nowadays, children often encounter problems not just in school, but also at their homes, families, and sometimes even within their selves. This is the sad reality that these young people experience at an early age. Rubbing salt in the wound, they are oftentimes the one who doesn’t have someone to listen to their problems and experiences. If this scenario doesn’t stop as soon as possible, imagine what could happen to these precious human beings that are the future stewards of our world.

This should stop right now. We should open our arms to children who ask for help regarding their problems. We should provide them with a safe space which is a protection from physical, psychological, emotional, and other types of harm. Here is where they can feel secured to take risks, share their thoughts and experiences with other people without being judged or disrespected, and explore their talents, attitudes, and behavior. Safe space for children, especially those who are going through tough problems like abuse, should be readily given since this require immediate attention. If we fail to give this on time, this may lead to different mental, emotional, and social health problems. In fact, studies show that 10% of children aged 5 to 16 years old have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem and yet 70% of children who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age (Children’s Society, 2008). This is very startling since a lot of children with mental health problem were not given proper counselling and guidance.

Providing safe space to everyone who needs it must be promoted in every way. Through these safe spaces, children can comfortably share their problems and they can release what they truly feel. Children, who have firsthand experiences of abuse and neglect, sharing their stories and realizations are the true courageous human beings out there. Sharing one’s problems is an important thing to do for people to fully recover. It really isn’t an easy thing to do, but it must be done to achieve a bigger purpose and to avoid deeper problems. Little by little as we think of ways to implement these acts, we secure the welfare of the children who are victims of the different kinds of abuse and neglect.

Sources:

Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health. (2019, April 19). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html

Yee, M. (n.d.). Why ‘Safe Spaces’ Are Important for Mental Health — Especially on College Campuses. Retrieved February 13, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/safe-spaces-college#1

Mental health statistics: children and young people. (2016, June 7). Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-children-and-young-people