PSHE was a hot topic throughout the election build-up, and the subject is back in the news as an Association of Teachers and Lecturers study shows the number of schoolchildren with mental health issues has risen.
The main concerns for young people are stress – particularly over their futures – anxiety, low self-esteem and body image, relationships with friends and bullying. It’s estimated that over 80,000 children and young people suffer from depression.
This news follows calls for PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) to be made compulsory in schools by figures including The Education Select Committee’s Chairman Neil Carmichael, PSHE Association Chief Executive Joe Hayman, and pledges from MPs including Green’s Caroline Lucas and Labour’s Diane Abbott.
Joe Hayman suggests the reason that PSHE, and in particular education around emotional and mental health, is often inadequate in schools is because teachers receive no training on the subject, or insufficient training. Because PSHE isn’t compulsory, schools often understandably don’t see training staff in this area as a priority and it’s because of this we should make the subject compulsory, he argues.
A report released by The Education Select Committee prior to the general election identified that PSHE delivery needed to be improved in 40% of schools, with pupils often feeding back that the sex and relationship education they received was poor. The report stated: “this situation would not be tolerated in other subjects.”
It’s not all doom and gloom, however; risky behaviour including smoking, drinking, drug use and antisocial behaviour appear to have reduced according to a number of reports, which is very encouraging. Furthermore, the state of our schoolchildren’s mental health looks to be on the government’s agenda, with the appointment of a mental health champion for schools, Natasha Devon MBE. The government has also committed £1.25billion to improving the mental health of young people.
While it’s reassuring to see a reported decline in risky behaviour, it’s important to address the declining mental health of our children. The two issues cannot be separated, as 95% of youth offenders have some form of mental health issue.
It’s time to focus on emotional health as information around issues like depression or anxiety isn’t common knowledge amongst young people in the way information on drug or alcohol abuse is, and there are often common misconceptions around mental health conditions.
It’s vital to reassure young people that there’s nothing wrong with suffering from mental health issues. Your pupils might not know where to turn if they are experiencing mental health problems, and it’s important that they are supported at school and informed on the help available to them. This will also help eradicate stigma around mental health conditions, which stems from a lack of knowledge.
Adult mental health services have suffered cuts recently so it’s essential to inform young people on the risks associated with poor mental health and what they can do about it. This is especially important considering half of mental health conditions begin before the age of 18, and 20% of 16-24 year olds suffer with psychological issues. By addressing these issues at a young age, your pupils will be better prepared to deal with them as they grow up, and the conditions will be less likely to negatively impact on their lives.
What do you think? Do you agree that PSHE should be compulsory in schools? Are you delivering PSHE as a core part of your curriculum and if so, do you feel supported? If not, what are the barriers you and your school are facing?
