Mental Health in Schools Working Group

Overview

The mental health in schools working group has been established to support the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting positive mental health in children and young people in school. 

The group is chaired by the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES). Membership of the group is made up of representatives from Scottish Government, Education Scotland, Health Scotland, COSLA, local authorities, teaching unions, the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP) and key third sector organisations with expertise in this area.

The working group will focus on three pillars of activity:

• the development of a professional learning / training resource for primary/secondary/special school staff which will provide essential learning required to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing;
• the development of a framework on implementing, developing and evaluating a whole school approach to support children and young people’s mental wellbeing; and
• the development of a ‘one-stop shop’ highlighting effective practical resources for school staff to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

All outcomes of the group will complement the range of whole-school and targeted approaches already available in schools to help support the mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing of children and young people including counsellors in schools and will not duplicate any resources/training already available.

The group will develop the resource and training as part of a ‘toolkit’ of support which is expected to be available to school staff later in 2021.

Members

• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
• Edinburgh Council
• Fife Council
• North Ayrshire Council
• Scottish Borders Council
• Health Scotland
• NHS Health Scotland
• Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists  (ASPEP)
• Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS)
• School Leaders Scotland (SLS)
• NASUWT
• UNISON
• Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
• VOICE
• Barnardo’s
• National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
• Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH)
• Mental Health Foundation
• Mental Health UK
• See Me
• Support in Mind
• Children’s Parliament
• Learning Directorate, Scottish Government
• Mental Health Directorate, Scottish Government
• Education Scotland

Publications

Mental Health in Schools Working Group: terms of reference