BBC School Report finds more mental health support needed

According to research for the BBC School Report, schools need to do more to support children suffering from mental health issues, with figures showing half of teenagers with mental health problems trying to cope alone.

A ComRes survey (carried out on behalf of the research) answered by over 1,000 UK 11-15 year-olds found that: about 70 per cent, had experienced negative feelings in the past year, ranging from feeling upset and unhappy, to feeling anxious, frightened or unsafe; 11 per cent described themselves as ‘unhappy’ overall; and 86 per cent described themselves as ‘happy’ overall.

The report recommended that the most vital thing schools should be doing is ensuring someone trustworthy is available to talk to confidentially. However, according to the survey: 18 per cent described the help they were offered at school for their worries and concerns as ‘poor’; 66 per cent described the help they were offered at school for their worries and concerns as ‘good’; half said there was an allocated teacher they could talk to about worries or concerns; and 15 per cent said their schools had appointed older students as mentors.

Responding to the School Report research, Edward Timpson, Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families, said the government would ‘transform mental health services in schools’ and was commissioning research to help schools identify which approaches worked best.

Simpson said: ”Growing up in today's world can be a challenge for children and young people, so it's vital that they get the help and support they need.”