Primary pupils suffering depression, claim teachers

PRIMARY school children as young as four are showing signs of anxiety, panic attacks or depression, according to a poll of teachers.

The data suggests the vast majority of school staff across the UK believe that they come into contact with pupils experiencing mental health problems.

In one case, a teacher said an eight-year-old climbed on to a roof and said that they wanted to kill themselves.

The poll – by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) – also indicates that many teachers are aware of sexual harassment among students, and youngsters sharing sexual messages, photos and videos.

Overall, 96 per cent of the more than 1,300 union members questioned said that they believe there are pupils with whom they come into contact who are experiencing mental health problems.

Of these, around one in seven (14 per cent) said that the pupils experiencing difficulties were aged between four and seven, while more than a quarter (27 per cent) said the youngsters were aged seven to 11.

The age group that teachers were most likely to say were affected – at 68 per cent – were those aged 11 to 16. One per cent said that children under four were affected.

Asked about the type of mental health problems that children are suffering from, around 92 per cent of those that took part in the survey cited anxiety and panic attacks, while 80 per cent said depression.

In addition, around 67 per cent said youngsters were self-harming, while 49 per cent highlighted eating disorders and 45 per cent said pupils were showing signs of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

One member told the union: ‘Access to mental health services is appalling for young children.’

The poll also found that 86 per cent of staff are aware of pupils they teach sharing messages, photos and videos or a sexual nature.

More than a third (38 per cent) were aware of youngsters sexually harassing other pupils.

A similar proportion (39 per cent) said they were aware of youngsters

‘Complex range of issues’

being sexually harassed by other youngsters.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: ‘Teachers have never before had to deal with such a complex range of pupil welfare issues as they do today.

‘The pressure on teachers and headteachers is enormous and is putting at risk their own mental and physical health and wellbeing.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Improving child health is a major priority for this government. We have invested over £50million in a package of support to enhance mental health services, including child and adolescent mental health services.

‘We are working with the Scottish Association for Mental Health and Young Scot on a youth commission on mental health, and we are taking forward our Programme for Government commitment to produce a child health and wellbeing strategy. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has recognised that we are leading the UK on child health, outperforming the UK Government and making real progress on policies to support our children and young people to live happier, healthier lives.’