Government announces almost a million more pupils will get access to mental health support

The government has announced that 900,000 more young people will have access to mental health support in school this year.

Under government plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30, delivering on its Plan for Change to improve children’s life chances and tackle the root causes of poor attendance and behaviour. 

The new mental health support teams are made up of specialists who offer a range of help to identify and tackle issues early on, from group sessions to build children’s resilience to one-to-ones helping to manage anxiety – aimed at both tackling the crisis of poor mental health among young people, and driving up school attendance.

They will work directly with school and college staff alongside NHS services to provide professional advice, easing the pressure on school staff and allowing them to help young people get the right support and stay in education.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said “We inherited a system full of challenges and breaking the vicious cycle of poor mental health, low attendance and bad behaviour among children and young people is the most urgent one facing our schools.

“Expanding mental health support for young people is one of the single biggest steps we can take to improve children’s life chances, make sure all pupils are getting the very most out of school and deliver excellence for every child.

“Taken alongside new intensive support for schools that are struggling, our free breakfast clubs for millions of children and our wider work to drive up school attendance, this government will continue using all available levers to break the destructive link between background and success and deliver on our Plan for Change.”