Best For You has launched three new videos as part of its ongoing partnership with YouTube to mark Children’s Mental Health Week 2025.
Best For You is an innovative approach to mental health care run in partnership by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, West London NHS Trust, and CW+.
Three new films
The first film, ‘What does alcohol mean to you?’) is a verbatim animation, with a script taken from interviews with young people. Through these young people recounting their experiences with alcohol, the film shares important messages about the effects of alcohol, reducing risk, and drinking in moderation – all in an accessible, non-judgemental format.
The second, ‘How to tell someone about self-harm’, features an in-depth discussion between a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Mental Health Nurse. The two discuss the importance of telling a trusted adult about mental health concerns and offer young people practical tips to start a conversation about their wellbeing.
The final film scheduled for release during Children’s Mental Health Week, ‘How to manage anxiety by understanding your brain’, helps young people to understand the role of the brain and nervous system in common experiences of anxiety, which is itself part of the normal human experience.
Future film releases
The three films will be followed by weekly releases, made possible by funding from YouTube. Future videos will cover common concerns including eating disorders and social media, how CBT helps with depression, and seeking an autism diagnosis, as well as conditions including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Johan Redelinghuys, Child Psychiatrist, Clinical Director for North West London CAMHS Provider Collaborative, and Clinical Director for Best For You, said: ‘We have worked collaboratively with young people and clinicians to develop these films, responding to commonly-asked questions about mental health to ensure that young people searching online have access to safe, accurate information from a UK-based source.
‘Crucially, our content reaches young people wherever they’re at, whether they have initial questions about mental health or concerns about their friends’ wellbeing, or whether they’re waiting for appointments with mental health services or learning to cope following a diagnosis of a serious mental health condition.
‘Thanks to the generous support of YouTube, Best For You is able to directly respond to the threat of online misinformation and ensure those starting to struggle with their wellbeing can access timely information, signposting, and early intervention. Simultaneously, our content supports those struggling with complex mental health needs, including through reducing stigma and misinformation among their peers.’
Partnership with YouTube
Best For You partners with YouTube in part due to the platform’s sector-leading verification tools, making it clear which videos are from trusted sources, such as NHS organisations and genuine, licensed healthcare workers.
As the programme is run in partnership by NHS organisations, Best For You videos are eligible for inclusion on YouTube’s ‘health shelf’ – a list of videos at the top of search results that are explicitly labelled to be from health sources providing medical information, education, and signposting.
James Porter, Director of Campaigns and Major Programmes at CW+ said: ‘Online misinformation, some of it well intentioned, contributes to stigma and is one of many factors exacerbating the youth mental health crisis in the UK.
‘Our partnership with YouTube allows Best For You to tackle the issue of misinformation head-on. Their financial support has enabled us to make high-quality videos, including an award-winning animation, and the health shelves and ongoing support from the team at YouTube have been instrumental as we establish our channel in response to the questions and needs of young people in our local communities and beyond.’
Vishaal Virani, Head of Health, YouTube UK & Ireland said: ‘We are delighted to have been able to support Best For You in its journey on YouTube, where it is now creating much-needed content for young people.
‘At YouTube Health we want to ensure that experts, like the team behind Best For You, are able to create the best possible content and reach a wide audience with their high-quality, clinically verified information.
‘As a partnership between NHS organisations, Best For You is uniquely placed to create content for young people about mental health and wellbeing, and we look forward to continuing to work together.’
Find the first three videos on the Best For You YouTube channel (Best For You NHS) and subscribe to be notified of future releases in the series.
