SCHOOLS NorthEast submits evidence to the inquiry into children and young people’s mental health – role of education
The House of Commons Health Committee opened an inquiry into the role of education regarding children and young people’s mental health.
On behalf of schools and Head Teachers in the region, SCHOOLS NorthEast submitted evidence to the inquiry, explaining how the newly launched mental health commission Healthy MindED will help schools address these issues.
Below is the executive summary to the submission, but you can read the whole document here.
School leaders in the North East are reporting a worrying increase in mental health issues among children and young people and recognise that schools have an important role to play in addressing this problem.
Schools in our region have found many different ways to promote resilience and emotional wellbeing, but they are having to work independently and lack guidance or the ability to share best practice easily.
Schools are keen to build skills among their staff and would appreciate support to be able to do so.
Whilst schools are keen to do more to address issues around mental health, budgets are very tight and so more funding is needed.
In order to address these issues, SCHOOLS NorthEast has launched a schools-led mental health commission – Healthy MindED – co-chaired by Professor Dame Sue Bailey and a young person from our region.
Healthy MindED was also mentioned by the Children & Young People’s Mental Health Coalition’s submission to the inquiry on the role of education and young people’s mental health. The Commission is listed as a source of feedback on good practice, bringing in the voice of schools, young people and the wider children and young people’s mental health sector.
SCHOOLS NorthEast, which is the only regional network of schools in the country, has just launched a schools-led mental health commission called Healthy MindED, which is chaired by our Chair, Prof Dame Sue Bailey. They will be looking at approaches which can be adopted by all schools in the region, but would be helpful for all schools. The Commission will help this Inquiry by being solution focused from schools’ perspective. That is important, because if we want real change, it has to work for schools.