Mental Health services are ‘Not making the grade’ reports MIND

A new report by charity MIND shows secondary schools are struggling to meet the mental health needs of a growing number of pupils. The report states that ‘In England, an estimated 1.5 million young people under 18 will need new or increased mental health support as a direct result of the pandemic’, adding to what appears to be an already overburdened system.

The survey of over 1,200 pupils who had experienced the impact of trauma asked about their experiences in accessing the support they required within the school setting. 

• 96% said mental health had affected their schoolwork
• 48% said they were disciplined for behaviour that was due to their mental health
• 70% said their experience of racism at school affected their mental health
• 78% said school has made their mental health worse

Just under 1,000 school staff were also consulted with their results reiterating some of those from pupils and adding to the concerning picture:

• 56% reported that young people who did not receive support self-harmed
• 25% were aware of pupils excluded because of their mental health
• 47% said pupils who experienced racism at school had had their mental health affected

The report proposes four key recommendations:

• Support schools to meet the needs of young people experiencing mental health problems
• Provide mental health support that meets young people’s needs
• Improve access for young people to get help from NHS mental health services
• Radically rethink the approach to discipline in secondary schools

Each recommendation is further broken down to highlight actions specific bodies (such as the DfE, Ofsted, NHS) can take. In particular the recommendation for The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education to “ban the use of isolation as a disciplinary measure” is especially pertinent in light of the Government’s recent call for evidence regarding Behaviour management strategies, in-school units and managed moves that specifically seeks views on the use of ’Removal rooms and spaces’.