Teenage Girls and Mental Wellbeing Within and Beyond School Spaces

This chapter provides an overview of the everyday experiences girls encounter that have an impact on their mental health. Focusing on girls’ encounters within the school space, such as the policing of their bodies, experiences of sexual assault, inequalities in sport and the broader impact of social media on their lives, a rich tapestry is painted of the multiplicity of stressors that impact their mental health. By identifying these stressors a series of propositions are made for those who work with girls both inside and outside of the school context, with the aim of cultivating spaces for girls that are nourishing to their mental health. These include but are not limited to, punishing instances of sexual harassment, incorporating girls into organisational decision-making processes, and ensuring that girls are taken seriously.