The £49 million injection into Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in England's schools has been met with scepticism by experts, who argue that the government's emphasis on 'grit' among children is a misguided approach. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have hailed the expansion of MHSTs as crucial for cultivating resilience among young people, but critics warn it is not enough to tackle the complex mental health needs of England's schoolchildren.
Ms Phillipson stated that increasing MHSTs would 'not only halt the spiral towards crisis but cultivate much-needed grit among the next generation – essential for academic success and life beyond school, with all its ups and downs'. However, charities like Place2Be, which specialises in children's mental health, report seeing a record number of young people with highly complex needs. A spokesperson highlighted that many pupils require targeted interventions that go beyond the scope of 'mild to moderate' support offered by MHSTs.
The charity stressed that while rolling out MHSTs is a positive step, it represents only 'one part of the solution'. They contend that it alone will not be enough to truly meet the government's commitment to providing specialist support in every school, nor effectively address the widespread mental health difficulties currently facing young people. Labour's 2024 election manifesto pledged access to mental health professionals in all schools, a commitment the government states it will meet by the end of the current parliament in 2029-30.
Teaching unions have welcomed the expansion of MHSTs but expressed reservations about developing 'grit' among children. A review for the Education Endowment Fund concluded that 'grit' appears to be more akin to stable personality traits rather than malleable skills. Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), called for government action on social issues such as poverty and inequality, which he believes are key drivers of mental health problems among schoolchildren.
He highlighted that teachers' primary concerns include reducing waiting times for children to access specialists like speech and language therapists. The NEU is also advocating for increased funding for educational resources and improved teacher training on mental health issues. With the government aiming to make MHSTs available to 60% of England's state schoolchildren by spring 2026, experts are urging policymakers to re-examine their approach to addressing the complex needs of young people.