Colleges are pleading for cash to shift from “crisis intervention” to preventative strategies to help students facing mental health breakdowns.
A survey of 70 colleges found 81 per cent reported a slight or significant increase in disclosed mental health issues among learners aged 16 to 18 in the last year, which follows 90 per cent reporting a rise the previous year.
And the Association of Colleges (AoC) added that severe behaviours, such as suicide attempts, remained “alarmingly prevelant”.
Mental health has become the primary cause for student absence in colleges, particularly for learners forced to resit GCSE English and maths, according to research by the membership body.
Today’s report found colleges are relying on emergency services for crisis intervention, with a third recording more than 10 mental health-related A&E referrals in the past year.
And the AoC highlighted the Big Mental Health Report from charity Mind, which calculates that poor mental health costs £300 billion a year in England alone, which is double the NHS annual budget – with children and young people’s mental health services accounting for more than £1 billion of NHS annual spend.
College leaders are now calling for more support to focus on prevention strategies to ease this huge cost.
One effective strategy is social prescribing, according to the report, which is a “largely unfunded” enrichment initiative that involves structured programmes such as volunteering, student representation, and social and physical activities.
“A growing number of colleges are adopting a proactive and intentional stance to the use of enrichment to address mental health and wellbeing, implementing a social prescribing model to relieve pressure on college services by preventing issues developing to a point where crisis intervention is needed,” the report said.
Jen Hope, AoC mental health lead and area director for the Midlands, added: “As this report shows, it is vital that policymakers prioritise investment in preventative mental health strategies if we are to comprehensively and sustainably support student and staff wellbeing.
“There is now clear evidence that early interventions are cost-effective. Every £1 million spent on child and adolescent mental health services returns an estimated £4.25 million in combined benefits to individuals and in savings to the government.”
Kimberley Cash, deputy group principal of Salford City College Group, said investment in mental health services for young people was “urgently needed”.
“Without it, we risk losing too many bright, ambitious young people to these invisible battles,” she added.
The AoC study revealed 68 per cent of colleges had reported more students aged 19 or older with disclosed mental health conditions, while last year 86 per cent said their numbers were rising.
Meanwhile 59 per cent of colleges reported rises in numbers of students they believed had undisclosed mental health difficulties.
The AoC said the volume of demand placed on college mental health services remained “significant”.
‘Heartbreaking to see students battling suicidal thoughts’
The report also highlighted “alarmingly prevalent” rates of suicide attempts – 75 per cent of colleges reported five or more suicide attempts, the same figure as last year.
Cash said: “I have witnessed firsthand the complex mental health struggles that young people can face.
“It’s heartbreaking to see students, full of potential, battling anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.”
One fifth (22 per cent) of colleges recorded at least one death by suicide by students, compared to 30 per cent experiencing the tragedy when asked last year.
Staff absences
Staff wellbeing was also a concern highlighted in the report after 85 per cent of colleges said poor mental health amongst workers directly contributed to sickness and absence rates.
As a consequence, over half (52 per cent) said it was negatively affecting student experience.
Nearly one fifth (18 per cent) said staff were experiencing secondary trauma from the emotional toll of supporting students with complex mental health needs.
“These numbers underline the ongoing pressures faced by staff and the urgent need for supportive systems to address the factors impacting staff wellbeing,” the report added.
Your thoughts