Despite being six months pregnant with her third child, Kate Middleton is making time to spread awareness to a cause close to her heart.
The Duchess of Cambridge showed off her growing baby bump when she arrived at Roe Green Junior School in London on January 22. She was greeted by more than 100 students and teachers before taking part in a lesson designed to help support the mental health of their students.
According to the Daily Mirror, Middleton has helped launch a website dedicated to giving teachers practical resources to help support their students's mental health.
The website, called Mentally Healthy Schools, is funded by The Royal Foundation, and is expected to become available to elementary schools across England in the spring. While the website still needs to be monitored and reviewed, it has so far been trialed at 50 schools to great success.
Shockingly, more than half of mental health problems begin before an individual turns 14 years old.
This isn't the first time Middleton has advocated to break the stigma surrounding mental health. With the help of husband Prince William and brother-in-law Prince Harry, Middleton created the Heads Together Campaign in partnership with eight leading mental health charities. The campaign aims to raise awareness and provide resources for those suffering from mental health problems.
While at the school, Middleton delivered a speech, inspiring both staff and students to shed the stigma surrounding mental health.
While promoting the Mentally Healthy Schools website, the mother-of-two gave a touching speech to an awe-inspired audience.
"We know that mental health is an issue for us all "“ children and parents, young and old, men and women "“ of all backgrounds and of all circumstances," Middleton said.
"What we have seen first-hand is that the simple act of having a conversation about mental health "“ that initial breaking of the silence "“ can make a real difference," she said. "But, as you here today know, starting a conversation is just that "“ it's a start."
"I see time and time again that there is so much to be gained from talking of mental health and taking the mental health of our children as seriously as we do their physical health. When we intervene early in life, we help avoid problems that are much more challenging to address in adulthood."
The website's contents are divided in four sections - teaching resources, risks and protective factors, mental health needs, and an entire school approach for school leaders.
What do you think about Middleton spreading awareness on mental health?