Today’s news review looks at an academy trust that has launched a campaign focused on mental health.
The E-Act Multi-academy trust, which is made up of 25 primary and secondary schools, has launched a £420,000 campaign focused on mental health. The funding will be used to help train teachers in mental health first aid in every school and to introduce a mental health curriculum to meet the needs of pupils in the classroom. This has been covered by the TES.
Children’s mental health is an important issue and that is why we have pledged to invest £1.4 billion in children’s mental health services, with strengthened links between mental health staff and schools to ensure children receive support when they need it.
We want Britain to be a country that works for everyone, where all our children fulfil their potential. Part of that involves tackling the injustice of mental health problems that can hold some children back. That is why the Prime Minister announced on 9 January that every secondary school in the country is to be offered mental health first aid training and a new green paper will look at ways to transform mental health services in schools.
A Department for Education Spokesperson said:
We want all children to have good mental health and fulfil their potential. This is why we have recently launched our Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health which will set out plans to transform specialist services and support in education settings and for families.
It will consider the role of counselling as part of the range of approaches that can be used to support children and young people, and we are engaging with sector bodies and young people throughout its development.