This is Children’s Mental Health Week (6th-12th Feb 2023), a time to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health.
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, said,
“Despite increased awareness of mental health issues, much needed support has failed to keep pace. Local authority spending on youth services in England has fallen by 62 per cent since 2010-11.
“Yet, this week the Isle of Wight authority says government austerity has cut £93 million from its pocket in the last 12 years.”
Mr Shreeve went on to say,
“One in 6 children aged 5-16 are likely to have a mental health problem. 50 per cent of all mental health problems start by the age of 14.
“In Children’s Mental Health Week, we continue to call on the government to not just acknowledge the increase in children and young people who struggle with mental health issues but to make concrete investment and effective planning to tackle it.”
Let’s Connect
This year’s theme is ‘Let’s Connect’. Children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, says that when we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing.
Shreeve: Schools need more than sticking-plaster approaches
Peter Shreeve added,
“As with any illness early intervention is the key. But schools need more than sticking-plaster approaches and cheap substitutes for specialists from the government.
“The annual ‘Education Support’ survey of over 3,082 education staff found that in 2022 78 per cent of all staff experienced mental health symptoms due to their work.
“For the first time ever, ‘lack of resources’ is one of the top five reasons staff give for considering leaving teaching. Budget cuts hurt, which will only worsen, if the Government fails to fully-fund the teachers’ pay rise.”
Shreeve: Children need help now
Mr Shreeve added,
“Children and schools, not only need timely access to specialist mental health professionals and funding for more pastoral capacity that we know works, and they need it now.
“Years of young lives are being lost waiting for specialist support and it can’t go on. This is why organisations like, UKSA on the Isle of Wight are reporting nearly a third of its further education students required mental health support since starting their courses in September 2022.
“Teachers need time to get to know their students well, rather than just racing them through an over-full curriculum towards high-stakes exams, all of which impacts negatively on student and teacher mental health.”
Shreeve: Now is the time for the government to listen
He finished by saying,
“We continue to be concerned about increasing numbers of young people missing school or attending and being unable to fulfil their potential. The teacher recruitment and retention crisis exerts far too much extra pressure on a school’s ability to cope.
“Surely now is the time for the government to listen to young people, families and those professionals who work with them daily. We need changes for every child to feel connected and to thrive. If not now, then when?”
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