What provisions have the Welsh Government put in place to improve mental health support services in schools, and what is the current support offered to students in schools across Wales?
In my Oral Statement to the Senedd on 14 May I stated good mental health will be the platform on which our education system will be built. The Curriculum for Wales, together with our statutory guidance on a Whole School Approach to Emotional and Mental Wellbeing, support this ambition.
In 2024-25 we are providing £13.6m in total from the Welsh Government’s education and health budgets to support implementation of the Whole School Approach, including provision of school counselling services.
Since initial roll-out the Whole School Approach has seen expansion and improved access to:
- school counselling services for learners and school staff
- delivery of universal and targeted well-being interventions
- training for teachers and school staff about children’s well-being; and
supporting the local CAMHS school in-reach services which provide dedicated mental health practitioners in schools for consultation, liaison, and advice to school staff.