What is the Government doing to ensure that school students receive adequate mental health support?
On 21 March 2021 the Welsh Government published the framework on embedding a whole school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing. The framework is statutory guidance for all maintained schools and local authorities and I expect all schools to have regard to its requirements. To support schools in this work the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing and I have jointly agreed funding in the current year for wellbeing activity and wider support in schools. Funding includes over £3.5m for local authorities and over £5.3m for local health boards to support schools’ wellbeing needs.
The Deputy Minister and I continue to keep this work under review through regular meetings of the Oversight and Delivery Board, a multiagency stakeholder group established to advise us and provide scrutiny and challenge in this area.