Extra funding to extend senior mental health lead training

More than 8,000 eligible schools and colleges have applied for a senior mental health lead training grant since applications opened, the Department for Education has revealed.

It is also providing an additional £3 million to extend this training to more schools and colleges given high demand, so that everyone eligible who wishes to access training before the end of May will be able to.

This comes following the publishing of the third annual State of the Nation report, providing an in-depth picture of the experiences of children and young people aged 5 to 24 throughout the pandemic during the 2020/21 academic year.

Children and Families Minister, Will Quince said: "The resilience of children and young people should never be underestimated. Though they have coped remarkably well over the last few years, this report once again highlights that school is often the very best place for their education and wellbeing.

"These two things must go hand in hand, which is exactly why we are investing so significantly in mental health services, both by improving access to NHS services and by making tailored support available in schools and colleges, with training for staff to confidently deliver this.

"I’m encouraged to see so many schools and colleges taking up this training and am grateful to them for the critical work they do to support their students’ wellbeing. It’s important that we use this report to reflect the experiences of children and young people in everything we do – whether it’s boosting mental health support in schools, our work to improve nutrition, or making the internet a safer place for children to spend time."