Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the recommendation of the Centre for Mental Health's report of July 2017 entitled Against the Odds, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a Concordat for Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health to ensure that schools prioritise young people’s mental health and well-being.

The survey ‘Supporting mental health in schools and colleges’[1] shows the extensive help that schools provide for their pupils at present.

In December 2017 the Government published the green paper ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision’,[2] which sets out further support, including designated senior leads for mental health in schools and colleges, and a significant increase in the number of early intervention practitioners

The Department is considering how mental health and wellbeing should be covered in the curriculum, as part of a process to determine the content of Relationships education and Relationships and Sex Education, and the future status of Personal, Social, Health and Economic education. In providing education and support, schools and colleges must have regard to their equalities duties, including ensuring that they meet the needs of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) pupils.

As the Against the Odds report suggests, behaviour management and exclusions practice in schools is an important factor. The Department has announced a review of exclusions which will focus on those pupils more likely to be excluded from school, including pupils from BAME groups.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-mental-health-in-schools-and-colleges

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper