State of Education Report 2017 state-of-education-booklet-Final-WEB | Page 24
Percentage of school leaders who have noticed an
increase in the following behaviours and conditions
among pupils over the past two years.
Mental health and wellbeing issues on the rise
We asked school leaders to reflect on some specific health and
wellbeing issues and whether or not they have seen any increase in
them among their pupils over the last two years. At both primary and
secondary level there are several causes for concern.
87%
Primary
78%
78%
80%
76%
Secondary
Nearly eight in 10 (78%) primary leaders and nine in 10 (87%)
75%
secondary leaders have seen an increase in stress, anxiety or panic
attacks among their pupils. School leaders in both phases have also
seen an increase in depression among young people over the last
59%
55%
42% increase in pupil self-harm; this corresponds with a 68% increase 22 in
- drug/alcohol
In secondary schools, three-quarters (75%) of leaders have seen an
42% the number of young people nationally being admitted to hospital
31%
37%
eight in 10 (80%) secondary schools.
53%
45%
two years: this is true of more than half (55%) of primary schools and
57%
5%
STATE OF EDUCATION 2017 | WWW.STATEOFED.THEKEYSUPPORT.COM
because of self-harm over the last 10 years. Four in 10 (42%)
secondary leaders have seen an increase in drug or alcohol abuse.
When we look at these issues regionally, we see that depression, self-
harm, stress/anxiety and fear of the future are believed to be more
prevalent among children in the north west; the figures are, however,
consistently stark in most regions.
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