Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has taken steps to ensure there is a mental health specialist in every school.

The mental health of children is a priority for this government. We know schools can play a vital role in supporting this, particularly by providing calm, safe and supportive learning environments that promote good mental wellbeing and help pupils who need it to access early targeted support.

It is important to remember it is not the role of schools to diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Schools are best placed to decide what support to provide to respond to the mental health needs of their pupils including, where necessary, through referrals to NHS specialist services.

The department is offering a grant to all schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead, helping schools to put in place effective approaches to mental health and wellbeing. This should include robust processes for identifying pupils or specific groups who need additional mental health support. More than 13,800 schools and colleges have now received a senior mental health lead training grant, including more than 70% of state-funded secondary schools.

To expand access to early mental health support, the department is working with NHS England to increase the number of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) working with schools and colleges. These teams include trained professionals who can offer support to children experiencing common mental health problems and liaise with external specialist services to help pupils get the right support. As of April 2023, MHSTs covered 35% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England. A further 100 teams are expected to be operational by April 2024, when MHSTs will cover an estimated 44% of pupils and learners.