Don’t diagnose pupils’ stress as a mental health issue, schools told
SCHOOLS should not attempt to diagnose stressed children with mental health disorders, a government adviser has said.
Tom Bennett, who guides ministers on behaviour issues in schools, warned that teachers must not give out “amateur diagnoses” to pupils, adding that there is a danger of “medicalising” normal childhood emotions.
His comments come as the Department for Education (DFE) publishes new guidance on mental health and behaviour in schools, in which teachers are encouraged to refer children on to external specialists if they display symptoms of mental health issues.
“Schools need to be careful not to overreach their expertise and try to do the job of trained experts in the mental health arena,” said Mr Bennett, who was commissioned by the DFE to carry review behaviour policies in schools. He said teachers who tell their students that they are suffering from a mental health condition run the risk of exacerbating problems rather than solving them.
“If teachers try to be amateur diagnosticians, they can lead children to believe that their symptoms are something more serious. You can exacerbate
‘If teachers try to be amateur diagnosticians, they can lead children to believe their symptoms are more serious’
stress by making people worry about it,” Mr Bennett told The Daily Telegraph. “Teachers are not trained clinicians and schools need to be careful not to make amateur diagnoses.”
“There is a danger of medicalising normal responses. If a child is stressed because of an exam or if a child is going through a bereavement, that is not a mental health problem.” Mr Bennett told how growing awareness about mental health issues has given rise to confusion about what constitutes a symptom.
“Schools are by their nature institutions that are at the front line of public service, and are frequently a first port of call for issues,” he said.
“It is perhaps understandable that schools and teachers are exposed to these issues. But there is a lack of understanding about what mental health issues are.”
New DFE guidance published yesterday says that schools must actively promote the mental well-being of pupils and ensure they are resilient.
Last month, the Treasury announced that every state school will be given a dedicated mental health professional to help children deal with the impact of social media.
Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, said mental health funding would increase from nearly £12billion to more than £14billion within five years.