Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to provide mental health support to (a) students and (b) teachers that are suffering from stress as a result of exams and the covid-19 outbreak.

On Wednesday 18 March, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education announced that schools, colleges and early years settings will be closed to everyone except children of key workers and vulnerable children, in order to contain the spread of coronavirus.

They also confirmed that assessments and exams will no longer go ahead this academic year. We are working urgently with Ofqual and the awarding organisations to ensure that students still get the qualifications that they have been working towards.

The department is working with NHS England and Public Health England who are providing guidance on seeking mental health support, including guidance for parents and carers of children and young people on addressing mental health and wellbeing concerns during the COVID-19 outbreak. Where in place, Mental Health Support Teams are also actively considering how they continue to deliver a service to support children and young people.

We are continually engaging with education unions to ensure the school workforce get the support they need in these challenging times.