Put kids’ mental health ahead of private schools’ tax breaks, says Labour, as nearly two million to benefit from plan to put mental health support in schools
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Labour [TODAY] accused the Conservatives of choosing to back
private schools' tax breaks over mental health support for children
in state schools, as the party said today that its policy of
putting mental health support in every state school would provide
support for nearly two million more secondary
school children across England. Labour's commitment to put
mental health support in every school will provide access to 1.8m
additional secondary school pupils. The...Request free trial
Labour [TODAY] accused the Conservatives of choosing to back private schools' tax breaks over mental health support for children in state schools, as the party said today that its policy of putting mental health support in every state school would provide support for nearly two million more secondary school children across England. Labour's commitment to put mental health support in every school will provide access to 1.8m additional secondary school pupils. The figure comes amid worsening mental health in state schools and a growing waiting list for child mental health services. Since 2017, the number of secondary-school students with a probable mental health condition has increased by more than two-thirds, from 12.3% in to more than 1-in-5 (22%). Despite this rise, more than half of secondary schools in England do not currently have access to specialist mental health support, with the latest survey into child mental in health in England revealing that three quarters of those in secondary school with a possible mental health condition had not accessed any support in school. Shockingly, the survey also revealed that one in three children with a probable mental health condition had self-harmed at some point in their lives. Poor mental health in schools has been highlighted as a potential driving factor behind rising school absences, with children with a probable mental health condition more than ten times as likely to miss 15 days of school than those unlikely to have a condition. In March of this year, the children's commissioner sounded the alarm over a ‘crisis in children's mental health', with 270,000 children waiting for mental health support and nearly 40,000 waiting longer than 2 years. Labour's offer, which will see access to mental health support made available in every school, will be paid for by ending tax breaks for private school. It comes alongside the Party's other commitments to recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff and roll-out open access mental health support hubs in every community. Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, said: “Mental ill health among our children is now a generational challenge – and yet under the Conservatives, hundreds of thousands are languishing on NHS waiting lists for years before getting the treatment they need. "It's not just having a devastating impact on the health, wellbeing and life chances of our children, it's placing enormous pressure on school staff. “Labour has pledged to roll-out specialist mental health support in every secondary school to ease pressure on our creaking NHS and to allow teachers to get back to teaching. “It's time for another Tory U-turn: it's time for the Conservatives to put the mental health of children in state schools ahead of defending private schools' tax breaks.” Ends Notes Data tables
Source: Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023 - wave 4 follow up to the 2017 survey "1.8 million secondary school pupils"
Sources:
"The Children's Commissioner sounded the alarm [...]" |