| answer text |
<p>Good mental health is a priority for the Department. It can have a profound impact
on the whole of a child’s life, not just their attainment. Schools have an important
role to play, but teachers are not mental health professionals. They need support
from specialist services, which is why we are investing an additional £1.4 billion
in children and young people’s mental health services to 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The Prime
Minister announced earlier in the year that a member of staff in every secondary school
in the country would be offered mental health first aid training. This training has
now begun. It will equip those undertaking the training with the knowledge needed
to identify and make an initial response to mental health concerns, which they can
share with colleagues. The Prime Minister also announced a number of pilots to develop
practice and evidence about what works in promoting good mental wellbeing, putting
peer support schemes in place and developing joint working with specialist mental
health services. We are procuring organisations to run these projects and will announce
the results as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p>We have published a blueprint for school
counselling services, which provides schools with advice on delivering high quality
counselling to all pupils.</p><p> </p><p>We have funded the development of MindEd,
a free online resource which allows all those working with children and young people
to access training and information on a range of mental health issues.</p><p>The Department
has also issued advice on behaviour and mental health providing teachers with information
and tools to identify pupils who need help, and to provide effective and early support.</p><p>
</p><p>We will be considering with the Department of Health how best to build on this
work. We will include proposals in a joint children and young people’s mental health
green paper, to be published by the end of the year.</p><p> </p>
|
|
