Wellbeing and Child Mental Health

As a leading UK-based education recruitment agency, Future Education is deeply invested in the well-being of schools, teachers, and pupils across the nation. The recently published "Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023" report by NHS England has brought to light critical insights that resonate with our understanding of the challenges faced by schools, teachers, and, most importantly, pupils.

The report's revelation that one in five children and young people in England, aged eight to 25, had a probable mental disorder in 2023 is not just a statistic but a stark reflection of the complex dynamics within our education system. Future Education has been on the front lines, witnessing the increasing pressures on schools and teachers as they grapple with the evolving needs of their students.

Among the key findings, the prevalence of probable mental disorders remained consistent across age groups, with 20.3% of eight to 16-year-olds reporting such disorders. For those of us deeply connected to the education sector, these numbers underline the urgency for comprehensive support systems within our schools.

The pledge to implement 398 Mental Health Support Teams within schools and colleges with a further 200 by 2025, covering 35% of pupils and learners in further education, represent a crucial lifeline for those in need. As an agency that collaborates closely with schools, we understand the importance of nurturing a mentally healthy environment for both students and educators. This initiative has the potential to cover over 50% of the country's pupils and learners, representing a significant stride toward creating a more supportive and resilient educational landscape.

NHS Mental Health Director Claire Murdoch rightly emphasises the collaborative effort required from partners in the education, voluntary, and social care sectors. Future Education acknowledges that our collective responsibility extends beyond the classroom, and we are dedicated to working alongside these sectors to provide comprehensive support for the mental well-being of our youth.

Recognising the signs that a child may be struggling with their mental health have never been easy, and now it will be even harder determining whether a child’s behaviour is a normal adaptation to society, or if a child is struggling mentally. Isolating themselves may be a cautious choice to socially distance and quietness may simply be a natural effect of isolation and less interaction.   

The NSPCC list a few key signs to look out for when assessing your pupil’s mental wellbeing:

• Sudden mood and behaviour changes – Is it really out of character for your student to be behaving this way? Is it a huge change in their personality compared to before lockdown?
• Self-harming – Have you noticed frequent bruising or marks?
• Unexplained physical changes, such as weight loss or gain – This could be a sign of stress, anxiety or as previously mentioned a food poverty.
• Sudden poor academic behaviour or performance – This will be tricky to identify as not all students would have been able to adapt to remote learning, may not have been performing well to start with, or will struggle to get their motivation back.
• Sleeping problems – Is your pupil struggling to focus, looking tired and irritable?
• Changes in social habits, such as withdrawal or avoidance of friends and family. – Although this is a usual indication to look for, it will be natural for many pupils to be a bit more reserved after lockdown. However, most children are missing their friends and excited to be reunited, which should help identify those choosing to isolate themselves from their usual peers. They may be anxious about socialising.

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 Useful resources to support pupil mental health and well-being:

• ‍The British Red Cross have created new resources to help with the return to school and the recovery. The aim is to help children and young people prepare for the return​, cope with the changes, reflect on the crisis and build their resilience. The resources are for primary and secondary pupils and there are lessons on staying safe, preparing for the future and coping with change.
• ‍Place2Be have provided a range of activities for teachers to boost pupils’ well-being, particularly if they are finding the changes unsettling.
• ‍The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families has provided advice and support for children and young people during this period of disruption who may already be vulnerable or suffering from mental health difficulties.
• ‍Mentally Healthy Schools have created free toolkits full of useful resources and guidance for school staff, parents and carers to promote children’s mental health and well-being. You need to register for free to access the resources. They have also produced a toolkit focused on ensuring that the return to classrooms in September is a mentally healthy one. The resources are in two sections: one section is full of resources for parents and carers, featuring activities and tips for how to prepare their child for re-starting school in September; the other section is focused on resources for schools for use in the autumn term or when planning for the new school year.

Finally, you can always take a course that is regularly updated, to help you prepare and support your pupils to the best of your ability. Our training partner New Skills Academy have a Wellbeing & Mental Health in Children course available with a discount applied to anybody who purchases using our voucher code. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COURSE.

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