Issue Integrated school, community and family support for the student mental health crisis

Summary

Student suicide and mental health problems have emerged as a new crisis. Schools run mental health programmes for students through education and counselling, but dedicated staff and links between schools and families are weak. The report describes the student mental health system as fragmented and selective, with limits in crisis response and, above all, no dedicated mental health staff in schools. It proposes an integrated support plan linking school, community and family, delivered as one-stop services. A network in which schools, communities and families work together would be built, and the expertise of teaching staff and local personnel strengthened.