Why every school should have a trained mental health lead
The education sector is facing a growing crisis in mental health and wellbeing, with worrying statistics relating to pupil behaviour, staff wellbeing and pupil mental health. In 2021, the UK Government committed to providing training for mental health leads, publishing the green paper “Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision”. Now the funding for this training has run it’s course – but did every school train a mental health and wellbeing lead?
The short answer is no, sadly the uptake for the £1200 training grant was far lower than expected. This could be attributed to many factors, such as staff availability, staff shortages and budget cuts. Another key reason would be the fact that, despite the move towards transforming mental health, the Government has yet to implement clear statutory guidance for schools to have a trained mental health lead.
The Critical Need.
There is a high prevalence of Mental Health conditions among students and young people, as evidenced through numerous reports and research:
- In 2023, 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8-25 years in England had a probable mental health condition, a significant increase from 1 in 9 in 2017 and 1 in 6 in 2020. This translates to roughly 5 children in every classroom.
- In 2022, a survey by Student Minds found that 57% of university students self-reported a mental health issue, with 27% having a diagnosed condition.
- LGBTQ+ young people are far more likely to experience mental ill health, with an even greater risk for Black LGBTQ+ young people (89% of whom have contemplated suicide).
- Girls are more likely to experience psychological distress, self-harm, and are at greater likelihood of attempting suicide.
- Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, international, mature, and neurodiverse students are also more likely to experience mental health issues.
Poor Mental Health is also having a profound effect of educational staff teams, with 45% of education staff experiencing symptoms of anxiety, 35% burn-out, 28% depression, and 20% acute stress in the past year. In the 2024 Teacher Wellbeing Index, Education Support found that 78% of UK school staff reported experiencing mental health symptoms due to their work in the past academic year. This rises to 84% for school leaders.
In a 2024 report released by Ipsos surveying 31 countries globally, they stated Mental Health is the top health concern above Cancer, Obesity and Drug Abuse.
It is critical to train front line teams to recognise symptoms of declining mental health, and equip them with the tools for early intervention. 75% of lifetime mental health difficulties are established before the age of 24, and 50% before 14. Timely support helps prevent issues from escalating and leads to better long-term outcomes.
The strategic whole-school impact of a trained mental health lead
Mental health training helps to aid the transformation of the academic learning environment into a true community of support and wellbeing, designed to foster long term mental health and resilience. Empowering staff to think beyond simply reacting to crisis and taking a proactive approach, building and developing a culture of prevention rather than cure.
Mental health training:
- Creates a shift in culture from reactive to proactive and preventative;
- Enhances pupil outcomes, both academic and personal;
- Strengthens staff wellbeing and professional development;
- Optimises the allocation of resources and external collaborations;
- Enhances your community engagement and reputation
A school culture that prioritises wellbeing benefits the whole school from pupils all the way to Senior Leadership, leading to a more positive, productive, and nurturing educational experience for the entire community.
Empowering staff and pupils
The strategic move to train a mental health lead for your setting will empower both staff and pupils/students, leading to increased resilience, understanding and improving outcomes.
- Increase your teams confidence and competence to manage mental health and wellbeing throughout the whole school.
- Create clear policies, referral pathways (internal and external), and intervention strategies, providing clear protocols for staff to follow.
- Increase staff training through the mental health lead, offering workshops, coaching and one-to-ones.
- Put mental health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda, advocating for resources, policy changes, and dedicated time for wellbeing initiatives.
- Reduce stigma around mental health, enabling frank and open discussions for individuals throughout the school community.
- Provide a clear, accessible point of contact for support for pupils and staff
A trained lead will act as a catalyst for cultural change within your setting, as they strategically embed mental health and wellbeing into the foundations of everything you do within your whole school community. Empowering staff with knowledge and confidence, and empowering students with understanding, accessible support, and crucial life skills for emotional resilience.
Community and Compliance
Strengthen both your community engagement and ensure compliance with the relevant regulations and best practices as laid out by the DfE. (Your statutory responsibilities can be found in this guidance: Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice & Keeping children safe in education.)
How a trained mental health lead can help with community engagement:
- Connecting school with home by offering parents and carers access to workshops, resources and open sessions which help in education and support.
- Enables the mapping of local provisions which offer mental health services such as CAMHS, charities and youth groups.
- Creates opportunities for pupil/student leaders to come forward as wellbeing ambassadors/mental health champions.
How a trained mental health lead can help with compliance:
- Understanding and upholding statutory duties and legal frameworks within the school
- Creating and upholding a robust safeguarding and risk management system
- Using and understanding evidence-based interventions and approaches, rooted in good practice
Ensure that your setting not only meets statutory obligations but also genuinely fosters a nurturing environment that supports the wellbeing of every individual within its community.
It’s time to invest in a healthier, happier school community with a trained mental health lead
AMHIE offer mental health lead training for a range of roles within your setting, equip your team to success, fostering a robust culture of mental health and wellbeing at your setting. All courses were developed by our central team and approved by the Department of Education, so far delivered to over 1500 learners and counting. Discover more about our mental health lead training by visiting: https://community.amhie.com/training/mental-health-lead-training/
Access the course prospectus:
Introduction to the Mental Health Lead Role
Intermediate Mental Health Lead
Advanced Designated Mental Health Lead
We offer discounts of up to 30% to AMHIE members, if you want to check your eligibility please contact our central team on support@amhie.com or by phone 02381 120010.