Why Trainee Head Teachers and Social Inclusion Leads?

Why Student Teachers?

Working with teachers will be the first step in promoting a change in their attitudes and those of young people to stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health problems.

The Stigma Shout survey of over 3,000 people was carried out as part of Time to Change. It included people who had experienced mental health problems and carers for people affected by mental health problems.

Amongst its many conclusions, the survey found:

• that interventions with children were to be encouraged to help prevent them developing negative attitudes and behaviour
• just under 25% of respondents highlighted schools as the second most important place to target with anti-stigma campaigns
• almost 30% of respondents said young people should be targeted with anti-stigma training

Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations with one in three teachers experiencing mental health problems according to the National Union of Teachers (Mental Health Foundation/ Press Association, 2007).

END includes training on mental health problems for teachers personally as well as for their students.

Why Trainee Head Teachers?

As well as working with student teachers, it is also important to train senior teachers who already have an awareness of mental health within a school environment.

Our aim is to provide our training within one of the modules for the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH).

Head teachers are in an ideal position to champion change within their school and profession.

Why Social Inclusion Officers?

Social Inclusion Officers are senior teachers with pastoral care responsibilities within schools. They meet and receive professional training at local authority level at Inclusion Managers meetings.

This meeting influences Locality Governance Boards (soon to become 'Children's Locality Trusts) which can positively impact local services for young people, including mental health services.