Why is student mental health important?

Students who suffer from mental health issues will experience problems with engagement, concentration, attainment, progression, energy and enthusiasm and sociability and relationships.

According to a report from NHS Digital, one in six UK students aged five to 16 was identified as having a probable mental health problem in July 2021. That’s five in every classroom.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on young people’s emotional and mental wellbeing and mental health issues in young people are at an unprecedented high. Low moods, eating disorders and other mental health illnesses are rife among our young people and mental health services are overstretched. We as education providers are in a position to help support our young people to look after their own mental health, to identify their mental health needs and help them to avoid mental illness in the future.

Resources to support mental wellbeing

The downloadable resources below are designed to support student wellbeing. They include a list of mental health support services and providers of mental health care, tips for self-help for students and teacher-facing resources on how to better support students with mental health difficulties.

You'll also find below links to CPD articles to help you identify and address mental health conditions in your learners and teach strategies for mental health support in the classroom, support for exam stress and links to both mental health resources for younger learners and teachers.