Post-16 education sector launches blueprint for supporting student mental health in Wales

I weld y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg, cliciwch yma.

Post-16 education providers have joined together to outline a call for education and statutory health services to work in partnership to protect students’ mental health. This key ask is published today as part of a set of policy recommendations designed to further improve mental health services in the country’s colleges and universities. 

Made up of NUS Wales, Universities Wales, ColegauCymru and AMOSSHE, The Student Services Organisation, the working group behind the recommendations demonstrates an important example of collaboration across tertiary education and was set up to develop some key principles for Welsh Government to consider embedding in mental health and well-being policy for students in post-16 education. 

Taking into consideration the current Programme for Government - including prioritising investment in mental health, and service redesign promoting a ‘no wrong door’ approach to mental health support - the recommendations published today have a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and greater join up between agencies.

The recommendations are based around a set of key principles including:

• Parity of experience: students should be able to access a consistent standard of support, regardless of where they live and study
• Appropriate and effective information sharing between relevant bodies
• An understanding of the roles, remits and responsibilities of educational institutions and statutory health services
• Additional support for student transitions - for example as they move from school to college, college to university, from education to employment, or back into learning as adults
• The need for student mental health services to be supported by stable, long-term funding.