S4C orders children’s drama series Bex to tackle mental health issues

S4C’s Bex has received backing from the Welsh government

Welsh pubcaster S4C has commissioned a children’s drama series called Bex that tackles mental health issues.

Bex follows a girl who appears to children who need her, such as a boy whose sister has died of cancer, a girl who suffers from severe anxiety and another who lives with OCD.

The show premieres on S4C this week in an 18.30 slot in the hope that parents will watch with their children, providing an opportunity to open up a discussion on mental health topics.

With support from the Welsh government, the series comes alongside a package of educational resources, including a podcast with children and young people talking about their experiences and a section for teachers with webinars and welfare guidance on how to support children who have serious problems.

“There are a lot of lessons for adults in all the episodes, because I don’t think us adults always do the best for our children. Sometimes we just don’t allow them to be themselves because we love them too much. So we don’t want to acknowledge that things are not 100% in their world,” said Nia Ceidiog, Bex’s producer.

Sioned Geraint, S4C’s commissioner for children and Welsh learners, added: “This series is extremely important and groundbreaking in the way it deals with a topic that’s talked about so much today: children’s mental health. We hope it will open the door to family discussion and make children feel that they aren’t alone with their worries. It’s a pleasure to see talented young actors, most of them new faces to the screen, starring in the various stories.”