The Role of School in Children’s Mental Health
Written by Dr. Pia Boben Fenimore
It’s important that we focus on school and the critical role it plays in our children’s resilience and overall emotional health, so this article is designed to give parents, grandparents, guardians, and community member’s information and strategies to help with the current pediatric mental health crisis.
Children ages 6-18 years spend about one quarter of their life in school, more time than any other place except home. The National Alliance on Mental Illness suggests that one in six U.S. youth aged 6-17 experiences a mental health disorder each year and that half all mental health conditions start by age 14. While it is certain that positive mental and physical health habits begin at home, there is no doubt they can be learned, supported, and sadly, sometimes undermined, at school. It is critical that parents, administrators, teachers, and community members work together to ensure that our schools are safe harbors for a child’s self-esteem, and a place where they can learn to get ready for the world without feeling fear or humiliation.
Research supports that the absence of a positive connection/relationship toward school is linked to violence. 63% of all school shooters have a history of bullying. Equally as important is the research that shows the link between positive connections with education staff and increased confidence, success, and safety of young people. Unfortunately, untreated mental health conditions can lead to high rates of school dropout, unemployment, substance use, arrest, incarceration, and early death. Liz White, Student and Family Resource Specialist at JP McCaskey High School, explains that they have seen a steady improvement in student’s social/emotional wellbeing, attendance, and academic success this year with the increased focus on making strong connections with students and families and through the increase of mental health therapists on campus. Ms. White says: “I have no doubt that one caring adult can change a child’s trajectory in life.”
Dr. Martin Seligman, author of Flourish, a book about the power of positive psychology explains, “Wellbeing should be taught in school because it would be an antidote to the runaway incidence of depression, a way to increase life satisfaction, and an aid to better learning and creative thinking.”
Unfortunately, teacher burnout is at an all-time high and has caused thousands of teachers to look elsewhere for employment. Our educational system is focused on test scores instead of focusing on creating a skilled workforce who possess the knowledge and self-confidence to function in a fast paced, changing future. When we shift our focus from testing to utilizing resources for the individual assessment of student’s strengths and weaknesses, we can focus on solutions and take the time to implement educational plans that work for each child.
If you are a parent, step-parent, or guardian and your child is struggling with mental health issues, please share that information with his or her school counselor, social worker, administrator, or teacher. There are multiple resources within the school setting that can assist your child. Many schools now offer school-based therapy, which allows for a child to meet with a mental health clinician during the school day. Often times sharing concerns with a school staff member can be the positive turning point for a child. Schools also have the ability to address mental health concerns through the use of a 504 plan, which allows for specific accommodations that are individualized to your student.
If you are a pediatric health care provider and your patient is struggling in school, go that extra step and communicate with their school counselor, social worker, or principal. It is often quite amazing what two professionals who care passionately about a child can accomplish if they work together.
If you are a community member, take steps to advocate for the following changes in our schools:
Require mental health education for all school staff including de-escalation of aggression training.
Offer curriculum starting at the elementary level which teaches resilience, gratitude, and self-worth. An example of this is the Penn Resiliency Project.
Mandate Anti-Bullying Programs for all schools
Create spaces in school for “check ins” and “brain breaks”
Make mental health and well being education a part of every parent event
Address inequities in school discipline
Create personal mental wellness programs for all school staff to ensure that they have the strength they need to pursue teaching as a calling not just a job.
Spearhead and support civic efforts such as increased green space near schools; steps to decrease gun violence; and programs which strengthen the community’s ties to their local schools.
Our children are in crisis. We need to respond swiftly in places that have the most impact. A response without specific attention to schools is imprudent and irresponsible. I am certain that schools can and should play a large role in the way we pull our children, and ourselves, out of this mental health crisis. Parents, health care providers, community members, teachers and administrators are uniquely poised to offer help, prevention, and make mental wellness a priority for all.
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