Mental Health & Wellbeing in Schools

Reading the news last week ‘Mental health: One in four young woman struggling’ (BBC News, 22 Nov 2018) about young woman struggling with mental illness, and emotional problems such as depression and anxiety. It states “young woman aged 17 to 19 were twice as likely as young men to have problems, with 23.9% reporting a disorder”. In even younger age groups where problems are less likely, they are rising. This comes at a time when the vast gaps in mental health support in the country have been identified, and nearly half of those in their late teens with mental health problems have self-harmed or attempted suicide.

Why am I interested in this topic? Because it’s known that where a pupil has certain types of Special Educational Need (SEN), there is an increased likelihood of mental health problems. Children with autism or learning difficulties, for example, are significantly more likely to have conditions such as anxiety. So it’s a subject I’m coming across more frequently, especially when assisting key stage 4 pupils.

The government has made the right noises with their green paper ‘Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health provision’, (December 2017) setting out measures to improve mental health support for children. But at what point do you stop and say, actually my child’s mental health is far more important than their education at this point in time? We’re all too focussed on keeping our children in education, but looking at the longer term picture, does it really matter if they finish school a year later? I don’t think so. I feel ensuring their needs are met, managing the transition to young adulthood and functioning with your mental health intact, is far more important.

Why has the intensity of mental health problems increased in our children? 13% of 5 – 9 year olds have a mental health disorder. Is it down to social media and cyber bullying, more awareness of conditions like ADHD and Autism, or just the pace of life we run these day and the unprecedented pressure on and off line? Life moves so much faster, there is increasing pressure on our children to do well not only at school, but in outside sports and clubs, combined with changes in exams and pressure from them.

According to research, the more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to suffer from mental health issues. This is especially true of children and teens. Online social networking can lead to a variety of negative feelings and psychiatric disorders. Teens can feel inferior, have decreased self-esteem (which often goes hand in hand with eating disorders), anxiety, depressions, feelings of a lack of connection, lack of concentration and addiction to social media.

“SOCIAL MEDIA IS THEIR LIFE: THEY ARE IN IT JUST AS MUCH AS IN THE REAL WORLD AND THERE IS NO POINT IN BATTLING IT” (Independent School parent, Nov 2017)

Have you considered what support is on offer in the schools you are considering? The government is recommending a designated Mental Health lead in every school, which should among other things, help staff to recognise the early warning signs. Most families are afraid to touch on these issues when viewing a school, in case the school think the child has mental health issues and won’t accept them. There are schools out there though that are more open and accepting of the issues pupils face in today’s climate. It’s not all about academics and performance, they have a pastoral side too. Is there a school councillor? Does the PHSE curriculum cover mental wellbeing? Can students with anxiety take time out during the school day when their anxiety levels get too high? Is there someone they can check in with during, or at the end of the school day to manage any issues that have come up during the day, and help sort through them before the pupil goes home and worries about them even more? Is there a process for identifying mental health needs in pupils? As we reflected earlier, children with SEN are far more likely to suffer from mental health issues. How are schools helping to build emotional resilience and wellbeing in their pupils?

We need to help children reclaim the joy of childhood. And it’s important to remember that not all pupils are right for every school, an environment doesn’t have to be intense to be successful. Finding the right environment is a job in itself. Your school days should be the happiest of your life.

EHCP Schools specialise in helping families navigate special educational needs, including finding suitable schools and assisting with education, health and care plans. We work with pupils who are mainstream cognitively able, whose primary need is ASD, PDA, Aspergers, ADHD, anxiety and depression, Tourette's, Dyslexia, Speech & language, SPD, school refusal and exclusion. Please visit us at: www.ehcpschools.co.uk 

Tamara King is an experienced Educational Consultant for SEN, and an expert by experience as a parent to children who have EHCP's and attended specialist schools. Please contact us at tamara@ehcpschools.co.uk