Mental health. Supporting young minds

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In a secondary school of 1000 pupils there are on average 100 students suffering mental health problems. That includes about 50 seriously depressed, 10 with eating disorders and 20 with obsessive-compulsive disorder. But in 2005 Ofsted reported that most secondary schools are failing these pupils. How can schools support them better? We look at a range of strategies including peer support and counselling, a whole-school focus on pupils emotional well-being, and developing a deeper understanding of the fact that mental health problems can lie behind a range of learning and behavioural difficulties.The programme features students talking candidly about their mental health problems at school. School staff and leading educational psychologist Helen Cowie, Professor of Mental Health at the University of Surrey recount their experiences and views on how best to approach this significant but often hidden issue.