1. Memorandum submitted by
YoungMinds
SCHOOLS MUST PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH TO REDUCE
SOCIAL EXCLUSION
YOUNGMINDS
BRIEFING ON
THE REVIEW
OF OFSTED'S
FRAMEWORK, INSPECTING
SCHOOLS
Children's mental health problems are widespread,
distressing, at the root of many social problems and expensive
for the voter.
Ofsted is a key body which can improve children's
mental health, by helping schools to promote mental health and
to support teachers and pupils to deal with mental problems.
Who are YoungMinds?
YoungMinds is the national children's mental
health charity. YoungMinds' governing Council includes representatives
from the National Association of Head Teachers, the Association
of Teachers and Lecturers and 24 associations of professionals
working in educational mental health, all of whom were consulted
by YoungMinds on the Ofsted framework.
Why does children's mental health matter?
A mentally healthy child feels good about himself
or herself, enjoys relationships, learns confidently and overcomes
his or her difficulties.
Some children find themselves overwhelmed by
misery, anger or fear. Fully 10% of children between five and
fifteen have a mental disorder of some kind, according to the
ONS.[1]
These are associated in most cases with considerable distress
and substantial interference with personal functions. Children
with mental health problems usually cannot even begin to learn
effectively.
Five per cent have conduct disorders—For
example someone who often starts physical violence, has deliberately
destroyed other's property, often lies, and has run away from
home overnight more than once.
Four per cent have emotional disorders—Depression,
or anxiety such as phobias.
One per cent have hyperkinetic disorders such
as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Aside from immense intrinsic value of mental
health, mental health disorders and particularly conduct disorder
among children, are associated with enormous social costs:
— truancy,[2]
exclusions, and disruptive behaviour in class;
— homelessness (including rough sleeping)[4];
— substance abuse, and even;
Improvement in children's mental health is likely
to help the Treasury to save voters' money. Research tentatively
shows that mentally healthy personality traits at age 10 are as
good predictors of employment and earnings at age 26 as academic
ability.[6]
However, crime and all the other social problems above cost the
state money. Children with mental health disorders are also disproportionately
high users of mainstream health services, for example because
of accidents and self-harming.
Why do schools matter to mental health?
Schools are where children spend much of their
daily lives. If there are problems with bullying or excessive
stress for instance, that can do huge damage to a child's mental
health. On the other hand, if there are problems at home with
parental conflict, bereavement or poverty, for example, then a
nurturing and supportive school can help children to cope. School
is also a good opportunity to identify early and help most children
with difficulties. Finally, a child who is enthusiastic, curious,
and eager to learn, is a mentally healthy child.
The Government has already recognised this with
the DfES's "highly recommended" guidance, Promoting
Children's Mental health within Early Years and School Settings.
The Healthy Schools Initiative, and the new Behaviour and
Education Support Teams are important contributions to schools
that take part. However, many schools still do not prioritise
children's mental health.
It is time for every school to prioritise children's
mental health. Ofsted is a key tool to do this.
How can Ofsted help?
Ofsted can assess the extent to which every
school promotes mental health and provides help to those experiencing
difficulties, including teachers and other staff as well as pupils.
Every school should address mental health, with:
— A whole school approach to promote
all children's mental health, for example using PHSE and promoting
awareness of mental health among teachers.
— Effective support for teachers in
helping children who are disruptive or withdrawn.
— Non-stigmatising and accessible support
for pupils and staff who are experiencing problems, which is not
just available but is also taken up.
— Effective links with parents, Child
and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and other relevant services.
— Management of all transitions into
and out of school to minimise associated mental problems, including
unusual transitions such as exclusions.
This should reduce teacher stress in the long
term, rather than increasing it as inspection can increase it.
March 2003
1 The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents
in Great Britain, Office of National Statistics, 1999. Back
2
Truancy and School exclusion, Social Exclusion Unit, states that
truancy is very often related to anxiety (relating to work or
bullying). Conduct disordered young people could be expected to
be overrepresented among those excluded from school. Back
3
Young Prisoners: A thematic Review by HM Chief Inspector of
Prisons for England and Wales cites a report that 23% of prisoners
between 16-24 had discussed emotional problems with their doctor. Back
4
Rough Sleepers: the SEU found that 30-50% of rough sleepers
had mental health problems, which 88% of them became ill with
before they became homeless. Hansard, 14 Feb 2002, Column 557W. Back
5
Adolescent mental health and risky sexual behaviour,
Bennett D.L., Bauman A, British Medical Journal, 2000; 321: 251-252. Back
6
The relative economic importance of academic, psychological
and behavioural attributes developed in childhood, Leon Feinstein,
presented to an IPPR seminar on Mainstreaming Mental Health in
Schools, 2 March 2001. Back
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