View article

The mental health of children and young people in England, and the services designed to support them, are in a dire state. Rates of mental illness among children have increased by 50% in just three years. Provision is nowhere near sufficient to meet need, and, in an appalling failure of ‘parity of esteem’with physical health, the NHS currently aims to treat only 1/3rd of children with mental health conditions. 1 The level of investment in children’s mental health services, access rates and wait times varies wildly across the country. 2 However, almost every child in the country has direct access to a trusted professional with a duty to promote their welfare: a teacher. Indeed the Mental Health of Children and Young People in England (MHCYP) survey shows that teachers are the most common source of mental health support for children (Figure 1). 3 Schools are ideal locations for children to access help, as they can do so …