Supporting young people’s mental health

The Scottish Government has unveiled a new online learning resource to help school staff support young people’s mental health.

Staff can learn more about factors influencing mental health and wellbeing; prevention-based approaches in schools and tips on how to end mental health stigma and discrimination.

The Mental Health Foundation, Children's Health Scotland and training provider Digital Bricks developed the resource that is open to all school staff in primary, secondary and special schools.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“Children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is of vital importance and this resource is a significant addition to the suite of resources that school staff can access. It will provide essential learning and knowledge on mental health and wellbeing that schools can adopt and embed across all aspects of the school environment.

“Although aimed primarily at school staff, it can also be accessed and used by anyone who wants to learn more about mental health and how to support children and young people.”

Councillor Stephen McCabe, COSLA spokesperson for Children and Young People, said:

“The mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people must be a priority as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

“Ensuring those working with young people, in all capacities, have access to resources that develop their understanding of, and equip them to appropriately support mental health would be crucial; I welcome this comprehensive resource providing training and information for all school staff.”

Background

View the resource.

The new resource fulfils the commitment to develop and strengthen mental health resources available to schools in the 2020 Programme for Government, and follows on from the publication of ‘Positive Mental Wellbeing – resources to support children and young people’ on Education Scotland’s National Improvement Hub in June 2020.

The mental health in schools working group.