Kate Middleton Rare Video: Duchess of Cambridge Urges ‘Early Action’ For Kids Battling Mental Health Issues [Video]

Kate Middleton’s face is seen everywhere. She’s always having her picture taken, and more often than not, she’s the face on the front of many tabloids. However, there’s one place where she’s rarely seen — on video.

According to the Daily Mail, Kate’s rare video is actually a short public service announcement for the UK’s first Children’s Mental Health Week (February 16-22). The nearly two-minute clip shows the Duchess of Cambridge supporting school-based emotional and mental health services provided by Place2Be. She’s also urging parents to take “early action” to combat any mental health issues their children may have.

She spoke out on behalf of she and Prince William about the benefit of tackling potentially debilitating problems in children at an early age in order to stabilize the foundation they’ll need for a healthy adult life. On Sunday, February 15, the video was recently uploaded to YouTube.

“Both William and I have seen that many young people are struggling to cope with the impact of bullying, bereavement, domestic violence, family breakdown and more. Without support, the effects of these challenges can be traumatic, leading to serious issues such as anxiety, depression, addiction, and self harm.

“Both William and I sincerely believe that early action can prevent problems in childhood from turning into larger ones later in life.”

She’s reportedly been working with Place2Be since 2013 and has personally expressed how she feels the organization’s cause has impacted thousands of children.

“Through Place2Be I have seen the benefits of offering children support for their mental health in the safety of the school environment.”

A Kensington Palace spokesperson recently released a statement about Kate’s work and support of the awareness week sponsored by Place2Be.

“Her Royal Highness has seen that issues such as addiction, poverty, abuse, neglect, loss and illness of family members, can have a long-lasting and traumatic impact if left unsupported. The Duchess of Cambridge is especially concerned with early intervention mental health support for young people, to tackle these issues at the earliest possible stage, so that children have the brightest possible futures, as they deserve.”

According to the charitable organization’s website, it provides “emotional and therapeutic services in primary and secondary schools, building children’s resilience through talking, creative work and play. We currently reach 94,000 children, helping them to cope with wide-ranging and often complex social issues including bullying, bereavement, domestic violence, family breakdown, neglect and trauma.” So, it’s quite obvious why Kate would want to participate in such a powerful movement.

Catherine Roche, chief executor of Place2Be, also released a statement about the big week. She also expressed how elated the organization is to have the Duchess of Cambridge’s support.

“We’re thrilled to have the support of our royal patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, for this important new campaign. By raising awareness of the benefits of getting support early for mental health issues, we hope to change attitudes and help reduce the risk of more complex and serious problems when those children reach adulthood. We’d encourage all parents and carers to take a look at the ideas and tips on our website about how to talk to children about their mental health today.”

[Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images]