mental health and wellbeing in schools

Daniels et al., 1999

- The risk and resilience framework assesses children's mental health through personal traits and life experiences.

- Personal traits can enhance resilience (e.g., optimism) or increase vulnerability (e.g., low self-esteem)

- Resilience is characterised by the ability to cope with adversity and recover from challenges

- Life experiences, such as trauma or supportive relationships, significantly shape an individual's mental health trajectory.

- Adverse experiences can heighten vulnerability

- positive experiences can bolster resilience. ?

0NS, 2014

- In the UK, approximately 80% of young people aged 16 to 24 reported high life satisfaction

- Around 20% of the same age group reported symptoms of anxiety or depression

ONS, 2018

- Data from 1999 to 2017 shows a slight increase in mental disorders among children aged 5 to 15

- rising from 9.7% to 11.2%

- The prevalence of mental disorders was notably higher in older age groups

- 16.9% of young people aged 17 to 19 diagnosed compared to 5.5% in preschool children aged 2 to 4.

- Emotional disorders were most prevalent in older adolescents, while behavioural and hyperactivity disorders were more common in younger children

Fink et al., 2015

- Mental health trends show an increase in emotional problems among girls

- behavioural difficulties have plateaued

Gutman & Feinstein, 2008

- The school environment significantly influences children's social, emotional, and behavioural development.

- Positive learning experiences in primary school are linked to better wellbeing in secondary school

- For boys, primary school learning is crucial for future behavioural wellbeing

- for girls, it predicts social wellbeing.

The Children's Society, 2015

- A survey of 10-12-year-olds across 15 countries revealed lower happiness levels in children from England compared to peers in Ethiopia and Algeria.

- 38% of children in England reported experiencing physical bullying in the last month

- 50% felt excluded

- Dissatisfaction among students

stems from their relationships with teachers, the curriculum, and peer interactions.

Meltzer et al., 2000

- A study of 10,438 children aged 5-15 found that 46% with mental health problems did not access services after 20 months.

- Teachers were the most consulted professionals (43.6%), followed by CAMHS workers (22.1%) and social services (11.6%).

DoH, 2005

Tier 1

Frontline staff providing initial support

Tier 2

Network of professionals collaborating for care

Tier 3

Specialist outpatient CAMH teams

Tier 4

Inpatient CAMH provision for severe cases

DoH, 2015

- Recent discussions suggest a shift towards a system without tiers

- single point of access for mental health services.

Dfe, 2017

- UK Government's Three Pillars of Mental Health Provision

- Designated Senior Lead for Mental Health:

Schools are incentivized to identify and train a designated senior lead for mental health.

- Mental Health Support Teams (MHST):

Funding for new teams supervised by NHS professionals

- Reduced Waiting Times for Services:

The government is piloting a four-week waiting time for access to specialist NHS mental health services

Scott, 2003

Medical-Diagnostic Model:

Focuses on identifying and classifying mental health conditions based on symptoms and biological factors.

Tew, 2005

- Tew (2005) warns that the biomedical perspective can overshadow the complexity of mental health

- The medical model may neglect broader social and environmental factors

Murphy & Fonagy, 2012

- Contextual factors significantly influence mental health outcomes.

e.g socio-economic status and community support

- The interplay between individual characteristics and external circumstances is crucial for effective intervention.

Tew, 2005

- Conventional medical, psychological, and social frameworks often overlook the expertise of young people

- leads to a disconnect in understanding their experiences.

- A holistic approach can bridge the gap between bewildering thoughts and the realities of young people's social experiences

- Fosters better mental health outcomes.

- The importance of integrating young people's voices into mental health discussions

DCSF, 2006/2007

- Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) (2006-2007)

- Initiatives designed to enhance emotional and social skills in primary and secondary schools

National Mentoring Network and DfES, 2004

- Peer mentoring programs (2004)

- Programs that utilize older students to mentor younger peers, fostering a supportive community.

Mosley, 1993

- Developmental Group Work 1993

- Circle Time

Sampson, 2004

- Developmental Group Work 2004

- R-time

deShazer, 1990

- Evidence-based approaches focus on leveraging students' strengths to improve outcomes.

- Strengths-Based Approaches; identifying and utilizing students' strengths

rather than solely addressing weaknesses

Seligman et al., 2009

Positive Psychology emphasizes well-being and resilience and academic performance.

Murphy & Fonagy, 2012

- Many children do not respond adequately to standard treatments

- highlights the need for personalised approaches.

- Research is necessary to identify sub-groups that may benefit from alternative therapeutic methods.

- Potential adverse outcomes from psychological therapies must be rigorously investigated.

- Transparency in reporting the effectiveness and risks associated with psychological treatments is essential.

Monsen & Fredrickson, 2008

- Interactive Factors Framework

- This framework illustrates the interplay of various factors affecting well-being.

- The framework emphasises the need for a multi-faceted approach to understanding well-being.

- It serves as a guide for practitioners to consider all relevant factors when addressing health and social issues.

- Environmental

External factors impacting well-being, such as social support and physical surroundings

- Biological

Genetic and physiological factors influencing health, including brain chemistry and genetics.

- Psychological

Cognitive and emotional factors shaping thoughts and behaviours

Monsen & Fredrickson, 2008

- Interconnectedness of Factors

- Environmental factors can affect biological processes (e.g., toxins impacting health).

- Biological factors can influence cognitive processes (e.g., brain chemistry affecting memory).

- Cognitive factors can shape behavioural responses (e.g., attitudes influencing actions).

- Behavioural factors can alter environmental conditions (e.g., healthy behaviours improving surroundings).

Bronfenbrenner, 1979

- Eco-systemic theory emphasizes the interconnectedness of various systems affecting a child's mental health.

- The Micro-system includes immediate environments that directly influence the child.

e.g Family and school

- The Meso-system involves interactions between different micro-systems

e.g Home-school relationships.

- The Exo-system encompasses external environments that indirectly affect the child

e.g Parental workplaces.

- The Macro-system includes broader societal influences

e.g cultural values and policies.