Psychologists urge schools to make mental health and wellbeing a priority for pupils

Every school day more than 400,000 young people attend nearly 1,400 post primary schools across the country.

Most school goers are happy and enjoy their school days but some do not. Adolescence and early adulthood are peak times for the onset of stress, distress and mental health issues. At any one time, one in six young adults aged 16 – 24 will have a common mental health issue such as anxiety or depression that meets the threshold for a clinical diagnosis. In addition, approximately 500 people die by suicide in Ireland each year, 80% of deaths by suicide are carried out by males. With Ireland ranking the 4th highest in the EU for the number of 15 – 19 year olds who take their own life, Ireland’s youth suicide figures are a huge cause for concern.

Psychologists have identified that there are a range of barriers to accessing effective and early care. In that context, education and prevention is key. Enabling schools to provide psychologically healthy environments could be one of the most effective ways to shape education, mental health and wellbeing in Ireland.

Whether we are parents or teachers, happiness and wellbeing are what we seek for our children, and it is a salutary fact that teens and pre-teens spend more time with their teachers than they do with their parents.

Traditionally schools have focused on teaching children and young people tools for educational attainment and accomplishment rather than those life skills that promote good mental health, wellbeing and resilience.

Psychologists are now urging schools to teach both. Yes, of course we need to keep doing the good stuff for academic accomplishment but why not add in life skills for mental health, wellbeing and resilience as well, in equal importance? The insights of positive psychology can be applied to school life to enhance learning, relationships and overall wellbeing.

Ask any teacher why they went into teaching and most will say something like “to make a difference to young hearts and minds”. Teachers want to support the whole person. They have seen first-hand in the classroom and beyond the huge difference mental health and wellbeing can make to a person’s life outcomes.

Schools are the perfect place to support and protect the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. If both the primary and post primary systems don’t fully support teachers in this process, then it has to change, for the wellbeing of generations to come.

The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) is so convinced of the importance of education and prevention that it is in the process of setting up a campaign called Psychological Health in Ireland which is designed to help build mental health, wellbeing and resilience at all ages and stages of life 0-90 but especially in the early and school years. PSI has begun to make available, free tools and resources for mental health, wellbeing and resilience for the public through their website PSIHQ.ie. PSI also provides free public lectures in Ireland. The Psychological Health in Ireland campaign will increase these free to the public offerings over the next three years.

We are calling on the Government and especially the Department of Education and Children’s Affairs to step up and help us develop a planned not piecemeal approach to education and prevention. School policies should include provision for training of all staff on essential life skills like wellbeing and resilience and encourage the adoption of evidence based strategies to guide prevention and intervention efforts on young peoples’ mental health.

All of us can contribute to this call and together we can make progress by building healthy happy children and young people who can overcome life’s challenges, build resilience and enjoy wellbeing and a fulfilling life.