Government announces massive expansion in school access to mental health support

Almost one million more young people will have access to mental health support in school this year.

Under government plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30.

The Government says the support teams are 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 one-to-ones helping to manage anxiety.

They work directly with school and college staff alongside NHS services to provide professional advice, easing the pressure on school staff.

“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,” Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said.

The new investment 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.

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, says there has been a “growing crisis” in the mental health of children and young people in recent years, and too many people are having to wait too long for help.

“It is reassuring that the government recognises this problem, as well as the impact it is having in schools, and that mental health support will be available to significantly more pupils over the next year,” he said.

“This is a welcome step towards reaching a point where all children and young people can access this specialist support if required.”

Mental Health Support Teams currently reach around seven in ten secondary school pupils.

The teams are made up of specialists who intervene early with children with mild to moderate mental health issues, empowering them to work through challenges in a calm and supportive learning environment. They also provide timely advice to school and college staff to develop a whole school approach to mental health and liaise with external specialist services such as the NHS, to help young people get the right support and stay in education.

“Having a trained, known, trusted professional working with the academy has made such a difference in supporting staff and students,” Mr Gary Lloyd, Head Teacher at The Academy of St Nicholas, Liverpool, which has had access to a mental health support team for a year, said.

“They support our wider inclusion strategies - often triaging and getting support to our young people much faster – which is impacting positively on attendance and general happiness within school.”

More widely, the Government says it is recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services to reduce delays and provide faster treatment.