What is mental health?

Mental health is about how we feel on the inside and how we handle our emotions. As a young person, you are in a period in your life where you go through a lot of changes. You may be facing challenges which are unfamiliar and face pressure inside and outside of school.

In just the same way that physical health is important for a person’s well-being, mental health will have a direct impact on every aspect of your life.

What are the duties of my school?

There is government guidance on Promoting and Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools and Colleges and Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools.

Schools have a duty to promote positive mental health and therefore there are several services that the school may offer if you require help.

• Pastoral care – Your first point of contact within the school should be your class/form teacher. Every teacher owes a duty of care to their pupils and therefore they must listen and make decisions which are in your best interests.
• Counselling – Counselling is a service delivered by qualified counsellors in schools. Counsellors will offer you an opportunity to talk about any difficulties that you have. Everything you say to a counsellor is confidential except in special circumstances. There is not a legal requirement for the school to provide counselling services and so this is not available in all schools. The school may be able to refer you to other services which offer counselling if it is not offered within the school. If the school cannot arrange counselling then you may be bale to arrange this yourself through your GP.
• CAMHS – If you are finding it hard to deal with a mental health issue and it is having a severe impact on your ability to live a normal life, a more urgent approach may be necessary. CAMHS are specialist NHS children and young people’s mental health services and can offer a variety of trained mental health professionals to assist you. Schools can make referrals to CAMHS if they feel you are struggling with your mental health; you or your parent will usually have to agree to the referral being made.
• Peer support – Often young people are worried about speaking to adults about a sensitive matter. Peer support means you can talk to another young person within the school about the difficulties that you are experiencing.

Extra support

If you’re feeling very sad, anxious, or depressed in a way that affects your everyday life, you can make an appointment to talk to your GP. They may be able to refer you to other medical professionals who can assess your needs and whether you need extra support, such as counselling or medication.

Young Minds: A charity that specialises in mental health issues for young people. They can help you understand how you’re feeling and find ways to feel better.