8th November 2011

Today the YoungMinds Annual Debate will examine whether our target driven school system is damaging children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The evening will also see the launch of YoungMinds in Schools – a two year programme funded by the Department for Education aiming to improve the outcomes for children and young people with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

YoungMings Annual Debate will be chaired by BBC Home Editor, Mark Easton and feature panelists:

Fiona Millar, journalist and education campaigner Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts Karen Robinson, Head of Education and Equality at the National Union of Teachers Ian Morris, Head of Wellbeing at Wellington College Adele Eastman, Senior Policy Specialist at the Centre for Social Justice

Sarah Brennan, Chief Executive YoungMinds said:
“Young people constantly tell us of the pressures they experience at school to succeed and how constant testing makes them feel pressurized and anxious.

“The increase in the number of calls to our Parent’s Helpline this year about exam stress also demonstrates the difficulties we are creating for young people in our school system.

"We have to address how this may be damaging children’s wellbeing and creating yet more mental health problems in a generation of young people already worried about dismal future job prospects.”

YoungMinds has received two years funding from the Department for Education (DfE) through its Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) programme for the YoungMinds in Schools project.

YoungMinds in Schools seeks to maximise the potential to positively influence the emotional wellbeing and mental health of the whole school community, adults and children, as well as addressing the specific needs of pupils identified as having behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESDs).

The programme will work collaboratively with clusters of primary and secondary schools and the services that link to those schools. It will provide training and consultancy support to schools and gather the views of professionals, parents and pupils to shape the development of innovative resources.

Commenting on the launch of YoungMinds in Schools Sarah Brennan, YoungMinds Chief Executive said:
“The recent Mental Health Strategy sets out the importance of early intervention. Schools have a vital role to play in identifying and then supporting children who are having behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

“Two-thirds of young people who went before the courts in the recent riots were identified as having Special Educational Needs. The importance of giving children the right support early cannot be underestimated if we are to radically improve their outcomes for their future.”

YoungMinds is the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity committed to improving the mental health and emotional well-being of children and empowering their parents and carers. For further information go to www.youngminds.org.uk