How to Tackle the School Mental Health Crisis
Schools are now facing a massive crisis with mental health. We have a separate post on preventing bullying. But indoor living, the cost of living, lack of access to natural space and media pressure, is causing huge issues from anorexia and anxiety, to depression and even suicide among young people.
What some people are unaware of is that there are experts in both school design and mental health, who are collaborating to make built environments that are conducive to good mental health. It’s all exciting stuff!
For planting outdoor spaces, read our posts on pet-friendly and wildlife-friendly gardens (also avoid facing indoor plants to outside gardens, to help stop birds flying into windows).
Mentally Healthy Schools is a free website for schools, where staff can find information to help the 50% of children who presently have mental health issues by age 14. It covers everything from risk factors (the media, home problems, vulnerable children at risk of exploitation, drugs, alcohol, children excluded from school, body image and even refugees. You can download ‘targeted toolkits’ to help.
The Schools We Need Now looks at how to transform schools into healthy places where students can learn and thrive. Based on decades of research, discover ways to improve school mental health and crisis response, with examples from educators.
The End of Education is a book on how to change the status quo. You’ve heard of regenerative farming, well this book is about regenerative teaching! No more a case of just herding children into regimented classrooms to learn their times-tables.
Instead, we can focus on educating children about the natural world, how to live in harmony with one another and how to also live in harmony with the earth and all creatures.
Schools That Heal is a book on how to design schools that are less like prisons (designed from fear of truancy and vandalism) and more like nurturing environments for learning and good mental health.
Small schools are a good idea (over vast ugly comprehensives) but not always possible in a country of 60 million people.
Good Books for Mental Health in Schools
Mastering Your Mental Health in Middle School is by a psychologist (American, ‘middle school’ is for ages 11 to 14) who offers tips and tools to teach young people skills they need to manage stress, and supercharge their confidence. Ideal for any student struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, stress or low esteem.
The School Mental Health Toolkit (written by a mental health coach for schools) lays out a practical and supportive approach to tackle the crisis in schools today. Learn how to identify needs, make referrals and offer empowering provision for young people to build resilience, foster compassion, talk of their needs and challenge stigma and prejudice.
A to Z of Wellbeing Toolkit is a mental health resource book for both schools and churches.
A for Teachers to Help Struggling Students
Student Mental Health: A Little Guide for Teachers (by a psychologist) shows teachers how to recognise signs that students are struggling, then offers tips on how to help.
