Student mental health action plan
Plan to address student mental health, through effective collaborative working across colleges, universities, NHS Boards, Integrated Joint Boards, Public Health Scotland, Health and Social Care Partnerships, and the third sector.
Data sharing
Action Four: Explore mechanisms to improve data sharing between schools, colleges and universities.
When a young person transitions from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services, they complete a Transition Care Plan (TCP) with their CAMHS Team. Similarly, some children and young people may receive support through a "child's plan" – a multi-agency approach that forms a cornerstone of our Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) policy. These plans enable professionals to share information with key individuals who support children and young people across different agencies.
At present, however, there is no consistency on how this information can be shared directly with colleges and universities, or guidance on what young people and their families may wish to do to prepare for this transition.
Recommendation Seven of the Thriving Learners research in relation to colleges suggests that "local authorities and schools" should "work together to develop a standardisation of minimum data-sharing expectations between schools and colleges around mental health and wellbeing supports of students." (page 76). UCAS actively promote the benefits of declaring a mental health condition at the application stage.
The Scottish Government is also aware of the work of the UK Government’s Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Task Force in relation to the UCAS application process and analytics.
In addition, the UK Department for Work and Pensions has also launched an Adjustments Planner to support disabled students and a Health Adjustment Passport, which could inform the development of a similar passport-type scheme for student mental health and wellbeing.
Action: The Scottish Government will work with institutions, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), CoSLA, and prospective students to explore what information institutions require, to inform continuity of support for newly-enrolled students, and how students and their families can be supported to request and share this information with colleges and universities.
Our actions in this area will also be informed by an ongoing dialogue with the UK Government’s Task Force, as UCAS has a UK-wide remit.
Contact
Email: Steven.Paxton@gov.scot
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