Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of trauma informed schools for (a) children with SEND, mental health challenges and childhood trauma and (b) other students.

Schools have the flexibility to decide what pastoral support they provide to best meet the individual needs of all their pupils, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), mental health challenges or who have experienced trauma. However, the department recommends a whole-school approach as the most effective way to promote and support mental health and wellbeing for all pupils, including those who may be particularly vulnerable.

The department’s guidance on the principles of a whole school or college approach recognises the importance of an individualised response to pupil needs, and can help contribute towards creating a safe environment for those who have experienced trauma and adverse experiences. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing. To help settings embed a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing, the department is offering funded senior mental health lead training to all state schools and colleges, including special and alternative provision settings. This training covers the range of mental health issues likely to be encountered in schools and colleges and the risk factors associated with specific groups, including children with special educational needs and who have experienced trauma, to support leads to understand and plan appropriate responses to pupils’ mental health and wellbeing needs. Over 15,100 settings have received a training grant so far, including more than 7 in 10 state secondary schools.

Additionally, a range of department guidance makes clear the need for school staff to be aware of adverse childhood experiences, including trauma, and the potential impact on children. ‘Keeping children safe in education’ is statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.

The department’s mental health and behaviour guidance also recommends school staff be aware of how potentially traumatic childhood experiences can impact on children’s behaviour and education and the importance of schools providing early support to pupils at such times. It signposts to further information on supporting children through difficult life events. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2.

Finally, the SEND Code of Practice sets out that all schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’, which means identifying a child’s needs, implementing appropriate support and reviewing it regularly. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25. Schools should involve pupils and their parents at each of these stages. The department expects schools and local authorities to consider the individual circumstances of each pupil and family and take the best course of action to support them.