The Mental Health of Children and Young People: A Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care

5. School Years - Universal

Context

5.1 Schools have an important role in promoting mental health amongst children and young people, and much of this is about creating the right environment for them to learn and thrive. When young people were asked what made them feel good ⁶¹, a common response was "doing well in school". Education policy and practice already has a strong focus on promoting and supporting emotional wellbeing and the Health Promoting Schools concept broadens this focus beyond the curriculum to a "whole school approach".

5.2 Individuals within the school environment may be experiencing particular emotional difficulties, but a whole school response generates benefits for everyone, by providing a supportive context for targeted actions. Mental Health Improvement: What Works?⁶² highlights the importance of integrated, whole school approaches that combine changes to school culture, staff morale, and pupil, family and community involvement. Methods such as peer education, input on problem solving skills, the development of social skills and the school environment are identified as being more effective than taking single topic-based approaches to improving emotional wellbeing.

5.3 All of the services elements which are outlined in this section are more effective if they are implemented within an inclusive, whole school approach which focusses on ethos, the school environment and participation. There are many influences on the way in which children and young people behave and the lifestyle choices that they make. The way that children and young people feel about themselves will impact on their levels of physical activity, what type of food they eat, their sexual activity, and their use of alcohol and substances. And conversely, the opportunities they have to engage in physical activity and make healthy food choices can have psychological as well as physical benefits. It is important, therefore, that these issues are considered and addressed in a cohesive way that allows young people to develop knowledge and understanding to make informed lifestyle choices.

5.4 During the SNAP review, teachers indicated that they frequently recognise mental health need amongst children and young people and would welcome training to develop their capacity to make a difference.

5.5 The Additional Support for Learning Act ⁶³ comes into effect from autumn 2005. This legislation is intended to modernise and improve the current system for identifying and addressing the needs of all children and young people who may face a barrier to learning and need additional support. The Act also introduces a new concept of "additional support needs" which is much broader than "special educational needs" and encompasses emotional and mental health needs.

Overarching philosophy and culture

5.6Being Well - Doing Well⁶⁴ highlights, "the importance of creating an ethos of care, respect, participation, responsibility, and fairness to all" in schools. A positive school ethos is vital for young people to learn and develop and is described by the Scottish Schools Ethos Network ⁶⁵ as being "linked with a sense of pride and loyalty, with a welcoming feel, appropriately high expectations, positive relationships, purposeful leadership, recognition of the motivation power of praise and a concern for the wider community". It is also essential to recognise the needs of teachers and other school staff for practical, emotional and social support.

Independent schools

5.7 Action should be taken to ensure that children and young people who attend independent schools receive the same level of support for their mental health and wellbeing as those in state schools, consistent with this Framework.

Children outwith school

5.8 In planning and delivering approaches to children's and young people's mental health and wellbeing, NHS Boards and local authorities should work together to make particular arrangements to identify those children who are not in school, and to ensure that they receive care and support consistent with this Framework. These children and young people may include those who:

• Are educated at home
• Are in secure or special residential care with associated education provision
• Are in hospital or residential respite care
• Have been excluded from school
• Are truanting

5.9 The Framework for Nursing in Schools ⁶⁶ recommends that community, practice and school profiling should identify vulnerable groups of children and young people who may require extra or different support and help, and that school nurses should be supported to work in a range of settings in order to meet these needs. That Framework also recognises that the needs and problems of school-age children and young people are not restricted to term-time and can often be more exaggerated during the school holiday periods. It advises that this should be reflected in appropriate service provision.

5.10 Addressing these issues links strongly with implementation of Hall 4⁶⁷. This also links with Section 7 of this Framework, which considers the circumstances in which children and young people may require additional and specific supports to meet their mental health needs.

Service elements and activities

* In the "Lead Partners" column, 2-3 partners are identified, with the suggested lead partner highlighted in bold. This is indicative only, and there is a much wider network of partners who should be consulted as appropriate. These are listed in Annex 1. The involvement of children, young people, parents and carers is assumed.