Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department plans to take to support the mental health of pupils when they return to school during the covid-19 outbreak.

The government remains committed to promoting and supporting the mental health of children and young people. Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. NHS services remain open and leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. The NHS is also setting up 24/7 open access telephone lines for urgent mental health support for people of all ages.

The department has established a dedicated helpline and webpages covering advice for the education sector, as well as advice for parents and carers supporting children. The pages on GOV.UK include information about how education settings, and parents and carers, can support children and young people who may be struggling with mental health during this difficult time. These pages include the following:

• educational provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers, which is available here:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people;
• safeguarding, including keeping children safe from online harms, which is available here:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers;
• advice on mental health and behaviour, which is available here:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2; and
• online education resources, including resources to support mental wellbeing, physical activity, and special educational needs and disabilities, which is available here:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-online-education-resources-for-home-education.

The return to school will in itself be part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils as attendance enables social interaction with peers, carers and teachers. Pupil wellbeing is an important consideration within our guidance on actions for educational and childcare settings as they prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020. The guidance is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020.

Pupil wellbeing is also included as a specific theme in the planning framework the department has issued. We are continuing to talk with school and health partners on how to make further resources and support available to schools as children and young people return. The planning framework is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/opening-schools-for-more-children-and-young-people-initial-planning-framework-for-schools-in-england.