Commenting on an announcement by that every new teacher will be
trained in spotting the signs of mental health
issues, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of
the National Education Union, said:
“The aspiration to train school staff to spot signs of mental
illness amongst pupils is welcome, but it will amount to little
more than a sticking plaster. If the Prime Minister is
genuine about wanting to focus on prevention, then a
cross-Government strategy on tackling poverty and inequality is
needed. The ‘exam factory’ culture of testing, driven from
Whitehall, is one significant cause of anxiety and low
self-esteem among young people. It is why the NEU has been urging
Government to put child wellbeing at the heart of education
policy.
“Schools need strong pastoral systems, but teachers cannot cover
for the cuts to mental health specialists. Recognising the early
signs is important but timely routes to appropriate professional
treatment is essential. At the moment referrals lead to long
waiting times – children and young people should not have to
threaten or attempt suicide before accessing CAMHS. (1)
“School leaders are deeply anxious that real-terms cuts mean they
must let go counsellors and parental engagement posts. Mental
health services, like schools, have been significantly reduced
from the effects of underfunding throughout May’s premiership.
Cuts to all children’s services have increased pressure on
families. Schools plainly can’t tackle this aspect of child
health alone. The growing problem of child mental health illness
must be tackled by much greater capacity in specialist service,
matched with the reversal of cuts to school budgets’’.
