A recent report from the Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, revealed a deeply worrying figure: more than one million children in England now have active referrals to mental health services. That is roughly one in ten children.
It is a frightening statistic, and everyone who cares about children should give it the attention it deserves. The children who need specialist help must not be left waiting, and their needs must never be brushed aside.
But in this article, I would like to look at the other children too – the nine in ten who are not referred to mental health services each year. They may not be in crisis, but that does not mean their lives are always easy, happy or fulfilling. So the question is this: how can we help more children lead lives that are not only safer, but also more enjoyable, more satisfying and more hopeful?
Without doubt, education has a huge part to play. As adults, there are two important ways in which we can help.
The first is to make education more enjoyable. That is something we care about deeply at Education Quizzes, and it is the reason we believe so strongly in learning through quizzes. When children enjoy learning, they are far more likely to keep going.
The second is to help children understand that time spent on education now can bring far greater enjoyment later. This is not always an easy message to get across, especially when the rewards feel distant and the effort is immediate. But it is one of the most important messages we can give them.
Here are a few ways we can help children see that investing time in their own education can repay them many times over.
Education Opens Doors
I know from my own experience that early choices can have long-lasting effects. I slipped into horticulture, growing cut flowers in my parents’ business, partly because it was easy and partly because it was expected. It was not the best path for me.
Later in life, I discovered entrepreneurial businesses and other work that interested me much more. Looking back, I can see clearly that a better education would have helped me find my way sooner. It would not have guaranteed success, but it would have given me more confidence, more options and more control.
Children are often told, “You’ll need this one day.” The problem is that “one day” feels far away. A better message is this:
The more you learn now, the more choices you are likely to have later.
That is one of the most powerful arguments for education. Not pressure. Not fear. Not nagging. Opportunity.
Education Strengthens Opportunities
Education is often discussed in terms of exams, grades and qualifications. Of course, those things matter. They can open doors to courses, apprenticeships, jobs and further opportunities.
But education is about much more than certificates. It is about choice.
A child who reads confidently has more choice. A child who understands maths has more choice. A child who can explain ideas clearly, solve problems, ask good questions and keep trying when something is difficult has more choice.
Those choices may affect the work they do, the money they earn, the people they meet, the places they go, the hobbies they enjoy and the confidence with which they face everyday life.
Education does not guarantee a perfect future. But it does help children open more doors.
Help Children Imagine Their Future
Asking a child, “What job do you want when you grow up?” is not always the best place to start. Some children will have an answer straight away. Others will have no idea. Both are perfectly normal.
The better question may be: “What sort of life might you enjoy?”
That changes the conversation. It moves the focus away from choosing a career too early and towards imagining possibilities. Would they like to spend time outdoors? Work with animals? Use technology? Help people? Travel? Make things? Solve problems? Be creative? Run something of their own?
These are not final decisions. They are starting points.
Once children begin to picture a future that feels exciting, education becomes easier to understand. Reading, maths, science, communication and problem-solving are no longer just school subjects. They become tools that can help them move towards a life they want.
For example, a child who imagines life as a marine scientist on an exotic island will be far more interested in learning about adaptation as part of their school curriculum. Suddenly, a school topic is not just a lesson. It is a step towards something exciting.
Use AI to Explore the Path
This is a positive way for parents and children to use AI together.
If a child shows interest in a particular job, hobby or lifestyle, parents can ask AI questions such as:
What subjects are useful for becoming a vet?
What qualifications help someone work in computer game design?
What GCSEs are helpful for engineering?
What skills are needed to run a small business?
What jobs are connected to football apart from being a player?
The answers can open up valuable conversations.
A child who loves animals may discover veterinary science, animal nursing, farming, conservation, grooming, training or wildlife care. A child who loves football may discover coaching, physiotherapy, sports science, journalism, data analysis, nutrition, marketing and event management. A child who loves gaming may discover coding, animation, design, storytelling, sound production, testing and online safety.
The point is not to squash big dreams. It is to widen them.
When children see that learning is connected to their interests, education becomes more relevant, more personal and more meaningful.
From “Have To” to “Could Do”
Most adults understand something children do not yet fully grasp: life involves choices, but not everyone has the same number of choices.
Every honest job has value, and all types of work should be respected. But stronger skills often create more options.
A child may one day want work that is interesting, creative, active, caring, technical, flexible, well-paid or meaningful. They may want to travel, support a family, start a business, enjoy hobbies or simply feel secure.
Learning now helps make those possibilities more likely.
That is a far better message than “learn because adults say so”.
Learn because your future self may be grateful.
Small Steps Towards a Bigger Future
Children do not need to transform their future in one dramatic moment. They can shape it through small, repeated steps.
That is where quizzes are so useful.
A quiz does not feel like a mountain. It feels like a manageable challenge. Ten questions. A few minutes. A chance to improve.
Every spelling learned, every times table practised, every science idea understood, every piece of reading completed and every quiz attempted is a small investment in the person a child is becoming.
Try. Learn. Improve. Try again.
Learning Today Opens Doors Tomorrow
Children do not need to know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. Many adults are still working that out.
But children do need to understand that learning gives them power. It gives them confidence, choices and possibilities. It helps them move towards lives they are more likely to enjoy, rather than drifting towards whatever happens to be available.
A child may not yet know whether they want to design buildings, care for animals, work in sport, run a business, make films, help people, create music, travel the world or invent something new.
But the more they learn now, the more doors they leave open.
And one day, their future self may be very grateful for that.