4. Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Supporting mental well-being in education

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:52 pm on 12 October 2021.

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Photo of Vikki Howells Vikki Howells Labour 3:52, 12 October 2021

Thank you, Minister, for your statement today; I have a few questions arising. A whole-school approach is obviously one that ensures that a policy is embedded across school life, and indeed if it's done well, then that can be the case. However, there is a danger that a whole-school approach, if not well planned and adequately analysed, can, in fact, simply place additional measures on actual teachers to deliver mental well-being support, in addition to their existing curriculum, without additional time being allocated or additional training. What discussions have you had or do you intend on having with teachers and their trade unions to ensure that adequate time and training can be provided to deliver meaningful well-being support?

And, secondly, a key stressor on our learners, which perhaps is not discussed as widely as it should be, is the impact that teacher stress has on them. Teaching is widely recognised as a highly stressful occupation; it would be naive of us to think that teachers don't convey this stress to their students at times. This can be in terms of teacher absence as a result of mental health issues, making continuity and quality of learning difficult, or students picking up on teacher stress during lessons and becoming stressed themselves as a result. Therefore, what work is being done to support teachers with their own mental health issues, and does the Minister agree with me that more needs to be done in this area?