Select Committee on Education and Skills Written Evidence


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;

    —  youth offending[3];

    —  homelessness (including rough sleeping)[4];

    —  substance abuse, and even;

    —  early pregnancy.[5]

  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


 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2003
Prepared 23 July 2003