Student Mental Health

Alison Bennett, the Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex, asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, Janet Daby, what steps the Department is taking to support the mental health and wellbeing of students. In response, the Minister stated that the Government is breaking down barriers to opportunity by providing young people with the mental health support they need. She mentioned that the Office for Students is providing universities with £15 million this year to improve their mental health and wellbeing support, and that the further education student support champion, Polly Harrow, is driving a strategic approach to supporting mental health for further education students. Alison Bennett followed up, agreeing that early intervention is key to tackling mental health issues among children. She suggested that putting a mental health professional into every primary and secondary school could help end the youth mental health crisis, and asked if the Minister agrees. The Minister thanked the MP for her sincere concern and stated that the Government is committed to improving mental health and wellbeing support for all children and young people. She acknowledged that it is vital that the right support is available to every young person who needs it, and confirmed that the Government will provide access to specialist mental health provision professionals in every school. Chris Vince, the Member of Parliament for Harlow, then intervened, highlighting the poor mental health of teachers after the last 14 years. He asked what steps the Department will take to support the mental health and wellbeing of teachers, not just students. The Minister offered to arrange a meeting with an Education Minister to discuss this matter further. Lee Anderson, the Member of Parliament for Ashfield, raised the concerning issue of teenage suicides, including the recent tragic case of Riley Townsend in his constituency. He asked what more can be done to support young people through the social care and education systems to stop this epidemic. The Minister acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and stated that the suicide rate for higher education students in England and Wales was lower than the general population of the same age group. However, she noted that every suicide is tragic and that a national review of higher education suicides is underway to learn more and prevent future incidents. Laurence Turner, the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Northfield, then highlighted the 38% increase in CAMHS referrals in Birmingham last year, coupled with a sharp fall in the number of young people seen within six months of a referral. He asked if the Minister agrees that more preventive support is needed in schools, and closer working between education and health bodies. The Minister acknowledged the MP's point and stated that the Government has committed to recruiting 8,500 additional staff across children and adult NHS mental health services, which will help to reduce delays, provide faster treatment, and ease pressure on busy mental health services. She also mentioned the importance of family hubs in providing crucial support. Finally, the shadow Minister, Mr Gagan Mohindra, the Member of Parliament for South West Hertfordshire, asked the Secretary of State to commit to continuing the mental health support teams in schools that were introduced by the previous Conservative Government, to ensure that students can access the mental health care they need. The Minister reiterated the Government's commitment to improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, and confirmed that they will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.