Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the extra resources they have provided to schools to prevent and tackle mental health problems will be effective.

The government recognises the importance of schools and colleges having access to expertise relating to mental health and wellbeing. The new Mental Health Support Teams that the government is introducing to support groups of schools can help to provide that expertise. The teams will consist of staff trained in evidence-based interventions, supervised by clinically-trained staff. The rollout of the new teams will start with a trailblazer project that will be evaluated. The trailblazers will test how teams work with schools, to ensure the additional support is benefitting schools and their pupils.

The department is also trialling five school-based approaches to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. This large programme will provide schools with evidence on the effectiveness of different types of provisions. It will also review how these interventions can be delivered effectively in a school setting.