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<p>The department recognises the pressure that staff in schools have been under and
is grateful to them for their efforts especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department continues to work proactively with the sector to understand the drivers
behind wellbeing and mental health of staff and pupils and improve our policies and
interventions</p><p> </p><p>The department has not undertaken specific assessments
of the relationship between the mental health of teachers and education staff on pupils’
educational attainment, or undertaken assessment of the impact on teachers and education
staff of the mental health challenges for children and young people in schools. However,
the department regularly commissions research on the mental health of leaders, teachers
and school staff (see, for example, the ‘leader and teacher wellbeing’ chapter in
the February 2022 wave of the School Snapshot Survey, which is available here: <a
href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1074740/School_and_College_Panel_Report_-_February_2022_wave.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1074740/School_and_College_Panel_Report_-_February_2022_wave.pdf</a>).
The department also monitors emerging research in the field, such as Education Support’s
annual teacher wellbeing index, which reports on the mental health and wellbeing of
teachers and education staff. The index is available here: <a href="https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/"
target="_blank">https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/</a>.</p><p>The
department is committed to supporting the wellbeing and mental health of staff in
schools, including early career teachers, and as part of the department’s initial
teacher training and early career framework reforms, trainee and early career teachers
will receive high-quality training on how to manage workload and wellbeing.</p><p>Last
year, the department published the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter which is available
here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter</a>.
The charter is a set of commitments from government, Ofsted, and schools and colleges
to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff. Over 1,900 schools have signed up to
the charter since it was launched for sign-up in November 2021.</p><p>The department
is funding a support scheme for school leaders to improve and promote good mental
health and wellbeing, providing one-to-one supervision, peer support and counselling
to around 2,000 school leaders until March 2023. The department is currently procuring
an independent research evaluation of the support scheme, the findings of which will
be published.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, the department has published a mental health
GOV.UK page, which brings together information about the various mental health support
offers and training available to schools and colleges. This includes specific guidance
and signposting for staff on supporting pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. The page
is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges#mental-health-and-wellbeing-resources"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges#mental-health-and-wellbeing-resources</a>.</p>
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