Ruth backs new programme to ensure more young people get access to school mental health support this year

• School mental health support rollout to reach up to 900,000 more pupils this year, covering six in ten children across the country

• Intervention marks major step forward in delivering the change that families voted for and fulfilling Governments manifesto commitment

• 500 schools with weak attendance and poor behaviour to get new intensive support, as the Government drives forward further progress on the 3.1m more days in school to tackle the absence epidemic and deliver Plan for Change

Ruth Cadbury MP has today come out in support of plans to ensure almost one million more young people will have access to mental health support in school this year, as the Government gets on with delivering its manifesto promise for a national rollout of extra mental health support.

Under the Governments plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school over the next 5 years, delivering on its Plan for Change to improve children's life chances and tackle the root causes of poor attendance and behaviour.

The support teams are made up of specialists who offer a range of help to identify and tackle issues early on, from group sessions to build children’s resilience to 1:1s helping to manage anxiety - not only tackling the crisis of poor mental health among young people, but also driving up school attendance. They work directly with school and college staff alongside NHS services to provide professional advice, easing the pressure on school staff and allowing them to help young people get the right support and stay in education. New research has shown a direct link between the severity of children’s mental health problems and their likelihood to miss school.

The new investment of up to £49m means six in ten pupils will have access to a mental health support team by March 2026, with the rollout prioritised based on NHS identification of local need and reaching the most vulnerable children first.

Commenting in full Ruth Cadbury MP, said:

“Poor mental health is something that is raised with me by teachers, parents, and pupils when I visit schools locally. I know that schools are under huge pressure and this new service will help to relive pressure on school staff and ensure that young people can get the support they need.

‘‘When I last carried out a survey on mental health amongst young people I found that there was a large gap in provision locally and I know that since then this problem has become more severe.  At the last election I promised to campaign for better mental health services and I’m pleased the Government are acting to deliver on this promise.’’

“Young people growing up across Hounslow and Richmond deserve the best start in life – this government is backing them every step of the way.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“We inherited a system full of challenges and breaking the vicious cycle of poor mental health, low attendance and bad behaviour among children and young people is the most urgent one facing our schools – and this government is already turning the tide.

“Expanding mental health support for young people is one of the single biggest steps we can take to improve children’s life chances, make sure all pupils are getting the very most out of school and deliver excellence for every child.

“Taken alongside new intensive support for schools that are struggling, our free breakfast clubs for millions of children and our wider work to drive up school attendance, this government will continue using all available levers to break the destructive link between background and success and deliver on our Plan for Change.”