Understanding school-based mental health support in the UK
Mental health challenges among children and young people are increasing, yet many do not receive support early enough. Schools provide a key opportunity to deliver mental health interventions. This review looked at different targeted school-based interventions in the UK designed to help young people at risk of mental health difficulties or showing early signs of distress.
The study reviewed 26 research articles published since 2010 and reported findings which focused on three key themes: outcomes for young people; acceptability and preferences; and practical considerations. Findings showed that targeted school-based interventions can help improve young people’s mental health – reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and boosting confidence. However, challenges such as stigma, concerns about confidentiality, and lack of resources were also noted.
More research is needed to better understand which interventions work best and how they can be made more widely available. Schools play a vital role in supporting students’ mental health, and effective interventions could make a significant difference in improving young people’s wellbeing.
Who is this evidence useful for?
This evidence is useful for teachers, school staff, and policymakers looking to improve student mental health support; mental health professionals working with schools; and researchers interested in school-based mental health interventions.
What is the issue?
Mental health disorders among children and young people are common, but access to early support is often limited. Schools provide an accessible setting for mental health support, particularly for students who are at risk or showing early symptoms of distress. However, there is a need to understand which school-based interventions are effective and how they can be improved.
Research summary:
- A systematic review of studies published in the UK since 2010 was conducted.
- 26 articles covering 22 unique studies were analysed.
- The review focused on ‘selective’ interventions (for students at risk) and ‘indicated’ interventions (for students showing early signs of mental health difficulties).
- Research quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).
- Findings were organised into a narrative synthesis.
What did the research find?
- Our findings are focused on three key themes: outcomes for young people; acceptability and preferences; and practical considerations.
- Many school-based interventions helped improve mental health outcomes, particularly reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Young people reported other benefits such as increased confidence, better emotional coping skills, and improved peer relationships.
- Some interventions also showed positive effects on classroom behaviour and school performance.
- Key challenges included concerns about privacy/confidentiality, prevailing stigma around mental health, and difficulty accessing long-term support – all of which act as barriers to young people getting the support they need, when they need it.
- The cost-effectiveness of these interventions was unclear, with limited research on financial impact.
Why is this important?
Many young people struggle with mental health issues without getting help. School-based interventions can provide timely support before issues become more severe. By understanding what works and what barriers exist, we can improve access to mental health support in schools and ensure that students get the help they need early.
How were people involved in this work?
Whilst this piece of work was a systematic review and young people were not directly involved, the review included research studies where young people, teachers, and parents shared their experiences of school-based mental health interventions. Findings are based upon their perspectives on what works well, and what challenges need to be addressed.
Recommendations for policy and practice:
- Schools should integrate targeted mental health interventions to support at-risk students.
- More training for school staff on mental health awareness and intervention delivery is needed.
- Addressing barriers such as stigma and privacy concerns may encourage more students to seek help.
- Further research on cost-effectiveness to ensure interventions are sustainable is required.
- Stronger collaboration between schools and mental health services to provide comprehensive support is recommended.
What happens next?
- The review highlights the need for further research on the effectiveness and long-term impact of these types of interventions.
- Policymakers and education leaders should consider increasing investment in school-based mental health support.
- Future studies should explore how to improve accessibility, address barriers, and ensure interventions are cost-effective.
- The findings of this work have been shared with Citizens UK and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), to provide academic support to their campaign for mandatory school and college-based counselling in England.
Get in touch
Lead author: Liam Spencer
liam.spencer1@newcastle.ac.uk
Read the full research paper
Other partners involved in this work
This piece of work originated from discussions held with Citizens UK and BACP around their campaign for mandatory school and college-based counselling in England.
Liam Spencer embarked on gathering a team of researchers to collaborate on undertaking this systematic review and subsequently recruited an undergraduate Psychology student (Scarlett Carling) to assist in developing and producing the review.
Co-authors
Scarlett Carling (School of Psychology, Newcastle University), Dr Tomos Robinson, Dr Katie Thomson, Professor Eileen Kaner (Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University).
Funding
Eileen Kaner is Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC) (NIHR200173) and is supported by an NIHR Senior Investigator Award.
Liam Spencer, Tomos Robinson and Katie Thomson are funded by the NIHR ARC NENC.
Scarlett Carling was supported by an NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) Summer Internship award.