Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department will take to consult specialists in the field of educational psychology before the publication of her Department's planned review of its guidance on mental health and behaviour in schools.

The mental health and behaviour advice was developed with input from a range of specialist academics and professionals including teachers, headteachers and educational psychology specialists from the Department of Health’s Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (CYP IAPT). Early feedback is that the advice has been warmly received, including by schools, the mental health charity YoungMinds and mental health professors from University College London and the University of Roehampton.

Good mental health services for young people are absolutely vital and something families care a great deal about. Our advice to schools helps teachers separate poor behaviour from unmet mental health issues so that all pupils receive help appropriate to their needs. It also encourages schools to promote positive mental health through the curriculum and peer mentoring.

All guidance is kept under regular review to ensure that it is up-to-date and additions are made as necessary. Part of this involves meeting with relevant professionals to keep abreast of developments and we have plans in place to meet with specialists in the field of educational psychology which will inform the planned review in October.