Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to ensure that there is someone in every school that a child who is (a) anxious and (b) in distress can spend time with if they are de-regulated in their (i) behaviour and (ii) emotions.

The department is committed to ensuring schools and colleges are safe, calm and supportive learning environments which promote and support mental wellbeing. This can bring a range of benefits for both staff and pupils. For example, they may support pupils to self-regulate and remove sources of anxiety and distress from their environment.

The department knows that there are a range of methods to support pupils who are experiencing anxiety or other forms of distress. It is important that schools retain flexibility to choose interventions that suit their pupils and local context, for example having support staff available specifically to support pupils experiencing dysregulation.

The department encourages schools to consider support of this kind as part of an effective whole school approach to mental wellbeing and have committed to offer all state schools and colleges a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025. Training will enable leads to introduce effective whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing, including the consideration of the support interventions provided in school and the training needs of staff. Over 15,100 settings that have claimed a grant so far, including more than 7 in 10 state-funded secondary schools.

The department also provides guidance on ‘Behaviour in Schools’ which is the primary source of help and support for schools in developing and implementing a school culture where both pupils and staff can work in safety and are respected.