Commenting on Access to Child and Adolescent
Mental Health Services in 2019, a report published today by
the Education Policy Institute, Dr Mary
Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the
National Education Union, said:
“The EPI report makes for alarming reading and chimes with
the concerns raised by our members. Schools across England are
witnessing the impact of children and young people not able to
access the specialist mental health support they need, when they
need it.
“The reality is that schools are picking up the pieces of a
system that is failing so many children and young people.
Teachers talk about the impact this has on their own mental
health and wellbeing: ‘I spend most lunchtimes and 40% of my
time nurturing children experiencing a range of mental health
issues. I get no support from the head and nobody to
offload to. I am currently working with 15 children who
have been bereaved, have anxiety, have PTSD or a parent with a
terminal/life threatening illness.’
“Cuts to schools have also drastically impacted on the
support they can provide with our member surveys consistently
highlighting cuts to pastoral support teams, including
councillors and school nurses.
“We need to take a long hard look at the way we support
children and young people's mental health and address the chronic
underfunding of public services that has contributed to this
mental health crisis.”
