ATL comment on Anti-Bullying Alliance survey of pupil mental health as a result of bullying in schools
ATL
| Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Commenting on the results of a survey by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, hosted by National Childrens Bureau, with support from YoungMinds, which marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week, Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:
“The results of this survey highlight the mental health consequences for children and young adults as a result of bullying in schools – an issue ATL members are extremely concerned about.
“ATL’s recent survey showed that almost 90% of teachers surveyed said that their workplace has had to provide more support to pupils with mental health issues over the last two years. Despite the obvious need for greater expertise amongst education professionals, just 9% of school staff feel sufficiently trained to identify the signs of mental health issues in pupils. A worrying 32% of respondents stated they were given no training whatsoever to help spot potential issues, while 45% feel the training they received was insufficient.
“This further supports the research from the Anti-Bullying Alliance, of which ATL is a member, and YoungMinds, one of our partners on ATL’s Safer Schools Network.”
