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Mental health support
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Mental health support
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Children and young people with social, emotional or mental health (SEMH) needs are disproportionately excluded.

The government’s programme for mental health provision in schools is a welcome step in supporting pupils in mainstream schools, but it does not go far enough.

Mental health and exclusions

1.10

Last year, the exclusion rate for children with social, emotional and mental health was 1.10,
compared to the national rate of 0.13 for the same time period.

71.6

Children with social, emotional and mental health had a suspension rate of 71.6, compared to the national rate of 11.3 for the same time period.

1 in 4

The primary need identified for nearly one in four pupils in receipt of SEN support is social, emotional and mental health.

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What are the mental health trailblazers?

The Government has continued to expand the number of Mental Health Support teams across schools and colleges in England. In May 2025, the Government announced plans for all pupils in schools to have access to mental health support by 2029/30 – with six in ten having access to a MHST by March 2026.

Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) offer support in schools and colleges, including for common mental
wellbeing issues such as anxiety and low mood. MHSTs also support a setting to develop their approach to
mental health and wellbeing, and to liaise with specialist services in the community where needed.

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“Prompt access to support the learning and mental of health of children who struggle with school could prevent future mental disorders as well as exclusion from school.”

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Tamsin Ford

Professor of child and adolescent psychiatry

What does the research say?

Research suggests exclusion may aggravate, or even precipitate, poor mental health. A study by the University of Exeter found that exclusion led to new-onset mental health conditions, despite adjusting for background factors.

We believe this underlines the need for the government to continue to invest in a multi-agency approach to mental health support in schools throughout the country and to ensure pupils in alternative provision also benefit from such support.

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What we are asking for

Mainstream support

A long-term commitment to multi-agency mental health support in schools, in every part of the country.

Assessment of need

An analysis of need to be conducted for alternative provision settings of all kinds, to determine the level and quantity of mental health practitioners required.

Specialists for excluded children

The mental health teams to be adequately resourced to provide the appropriate level of specialist practitioners to children in all alternative provision settings.

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