Teachers? Noctor: Are We Asking Much Colman Too Our Of

Colman Noctor: Are we asking too much of our teachers?

Tue, 18 Oct, 2022 - 07:46

Child psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor

Colman Noctor

Child Psychotherapist

I HAVE been providing in-person mental health seminars for teachers and parents recently and have found a growing sense of uncertainty about the general mental health of the children who have returned to class this term. Unlike years gone by, there are more anecdotal accounts of children and teenagers struggling to readjust to school. The theme of anxiety is a common observation, with teachers reporting school attendance being an issue for some struggling children.

The rise in anxiety has been present even before Covid, but it seems to be increasing yearly. I have rarely attended a school in the last five years where anxiety was not spoken about as a significant challenge for school staff.

I have stopped inquiring about what support services are available to school teams as most staff will roll their eyes when this topic is mentioned, as long waiting lists for services like Camhs and the absence of other community-based services means there is little they can do.

There also seems to be a growing demand for educational psychological assessments, which seem to have extraordinarily long wait times. Many parents have told me that, despite opting for the private route, there is a minimum of a six-month wait to get their child assessed. The growing demand for these assessments is not unusual, given that children and teenagers have had such a disrupted educational experience in recent years. Perhaps children are struggling academically because of this disruption, or maybe there is a build-up of demand for these assessments as it was impossible to identify learning needs when children were being educated at home.

Regardless of the reasons, there is no denying that the school environment presents many challenges for teachers, parents, and students. When I advise teachers about ways to support children with anxiety, my recommendations can be complex and time-consuming. Some will respond by saying, ‘I became a teacher to teach — if I wanted to be a therapist I would have trained to be one’, and this is a fair point.

These needs go well beyond the scope of a wellbeing class or an SPHE topic. While guidance counsellors offer much-needed support to secondary school pupils, the sheer number of students means it is inevitable they are at risk of becoming overwhelmed by the psychological needs of their pupils. Some guidance counsellors also report having teaching commitments that compromise their ability to provide adequate emotional support to students. While the role of guidance counsellors in secondary schools is undoubtedly challenging, primary school staff have no such support.

Camhs changes

When Camhs was established in Ireland in 1955, it catered for children under 16. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that Camhs began to accommodate 16- and 17-year-olds. Prior to this change, primary school children made up a significant cohort of those in the service, but given the level of risk 16- to 17-year-olds can experience, they tend to get prioritised and the under-12s often get waitlisted as non-urgent.

When I worked in Britain more than two decades ago, a mental health practitioner was always linked with the local primary schools. The function of their role was twofold. They supported children one-to-one, helping them to manage their mental health difficulties, and supported the teaching staff.

This summer, I spoke at the National Parents Council annual conference. One of the other speakers on the day was Dorset-based occupational therapist Sarah Stockham, a clinical lead with the school mental health support team. Her team provides early intervention for mild to moderate mental health issues, addresses emotional wellbeing issues with young people and their parents, and helps staff develop a whole school approach to mental health.

She spoke in glowing terms about the success of a project in Dorset and the positive impact these interventions had on the children and families in the schools involved.

The early intervention seemed to play a significant role in helping children who would otherwise have ended up in Camhs.

This outcome is not
surprising as most research suggests that school-based mental health services improve access to care, allow for early identification and treatment of mental health issues, and are linked to reduced absenteeism. International models suggest we are significantly behind the curve regarding school-based mental health services.

A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that in 2021-2022, some 96% of public schools in the US reported offering at least
one type of mental health service to their students, with 84% offering individual-based interventions like one-on-one counselling.

Team effort

I believe there is a need in Ireland for an initiative similar to the one in Dorset, where a team of mental health professionals are assigned to a small number of schools in an area. A group of occupational therapists, mental health nurses, and psychologists could visit schools and provide counselling support to children and families who are identified as at risk of developing mental health problems.

I wholeheartedly welcome the recent Government announcement to roll out a pilot of on-site mental health support in primary schools.

The INTO has responded positively to this, stating that “members raised this issue during their pre-budget campaign”. Although it is not yet clear how this will be initiated, any school-based initiative supporting young people’s emotional needs is to be welcomed.

Providing prompt emotional support could prevent thousands of young children from needing mental health services. If it also enables children to achieve quick access to the right support services they require, it would be even more effective.

It is not an overstatement to suggest that if Norma Foley and the Department of Education follow through on this commitment, this initiative could be a landmark moment in children’s mental health care.