Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Schools (Mental Health Professionals)

09 January 2024 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham

EducationMental Health

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Munira Wilson raised concerns about schools (mental health professionals) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • The Liberal Democrats propose a Bill to place a dedicated qualified mental health practitioner in every school.
  • The Bill aims to ensure early intervention for mental health issues among children and young people.
  • Statistics show one in five children between the ages of seven and 16 have probable mental health disorders.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham

The Liberal Democrats propose a Bill that would place a dedicated qualified mental health practitioner in every school, aiming to ensure early intervention for children's and young people’s mental health issues. It emphasises the inadequacy of current mental health services, exacerbated by the pandemic, and highlights statistics such as one in five children between the ages of seven and 16 having probable mental health disorders. The Bill would enable schools to provide care and support from the moment a child starts needing it, reducing burdens on teachers and other emergency services.

Other contributors (1)
  • Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham

    She outlines the inadequacy of mental health services for young people before and during the pandemic. She notes that early intervention is crucial, as half of all lifetime mental health disorders start before the age of 14. She also discusses the current under-resourcing of mental health support teams, with some schools only having access to these services for half a day to one day per week. Furthermore, she argues that schools should not have to fund mental health provision themselves and suggests funding through tripling the digital services tax on big social media companies.

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