Following its roll out, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30, improve children's life chances and tackling the root causes of poor attendance and behaviour. Support teams will be made up of specialists who offer a range of help to identify and tackle issues early on, from group sessions to build children’s resilience to 1:1s helping to manage anxiety - not only tackling the crisis of poor mental health among young people, but also driving up school attendance.
They will work directly with school and college staff alongside NHS services to provide professional advice, ease the pressure on school staff and allow them to help young people get the right support to stay in education.
The new investment of up to £49m means six in ten pupils will have access to a mental health support team by March 2026, with the rollout prioritised based on NHS identification of local need and reaching the most vulnerable children first.
New attendance and behaviour hubs will directly target the schools with the highest need as well as providing wider support for a further 4,500 in all corners of the country. These will work alongside new attendance and behaviour ambassadors who will be the link between schools and the government, identifying challenges and working jointly toward solutions. This move builds on the progress the Government has already made to turn the tide on school attendance.
Peter Lamb MP for Crawley, said: “Anyone who has tried to access mental health treatment in our area, be it throughs CAMHS or adult mental health providers, knows how long and hard the wait can be.
“We must do far more to confront the reasons why so many more people, particularly young people, are now struggling with mental health problems in our society and to ensure that those who need support can get it.
“That’s why I’m delighted that Labour is delivering on its promise and enabling almost a million extra pupils to access the support they need.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We inherited a system full of challenges and breaking the vicious cycle of poor mental health, low attendance and bad behaviour among children and young people is the most urgent one facing our schools – and this government is already turning the tide.
“Expanding mental health support for young people is one of the single biggest steps we can take to improve children’s life chances, make sure all pupils are getting the very most out of school and deliver excellence for every child.
“Taken alongside new intensive support for schools that are struggling, our free breakfast clubs for millions of children and our wider work to drive up school attendance, this government will continue using all available levers to break the destructive link between background and success and deliver on our Plan for Change.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Facing mental health problems when you’re young can hold you back in school, damage your potential and leave you with lifelong consequences. It’s devastating and it’s got to change.
“That’s why this government is bringing in vital services to schools, so they can intervene early, support pupils, and help prevent conditions from becoming severe.
“Backed by an extra £680 million in government funding this year, we are transforming mental health services for children – hiring more staff, delivering more talking therapies, and getting waiting lists down through our Plan for Change – so children can have the best possible start in life.”