KCSIE 2026: what changes for school mental health leads?
The 2026 edition of Keeping Children Safe in Education gives schools and colleges much clearer guidance on the relationship between mental health and safeguarding. It does not introduce the mental health lead for the first time, nor does it make the role compulsory. References to senior mental health leads have appeared in KCSIE since at least 2021. […]
Towards a coherent approach to mental health
What school leaders do differently to move from activity to alignment “The difference is not what schools do, but how the system is organised.” Across many schools, there is no shortage of activity around mental health. Training is delivered. Programmes are introduced. Support is in place. Individually, much of this work is strong. But the shift to […]
Why good mental health work doesn’t always stick
Moving from initiative to system “Inconsistent experience leads to inconsistent impact.” Many schools can point to examples of strong mental health work. Yet, despite this, consistency is often hard to sustain. Support is put in place, staff are trained, initiatives are launched — but over time: This is not simply about implementation. It reflects how […]
What shapes mental health in schools
Why relationships, belonging and culture matter more than programmes “What shapes mental health is what pupils experience every day.” Mental health in schools is often approached through provision — what we deliver, what we offer, what we put in place. But emerging evidence and practice point in a different direction. What matters is not only what […]
Why mental health support isn’t enough in schools
When more support doesn’t solve the problem “Mental health becomes something we talk about only when something is wrong.” Schools have strengthened mental health support significantly in recent years. There are clearer referral pathways, designated leads, greater awareness, and stronger links with external services. This is necessary and valuable. And yet, a pattern persists. Even with […]
Why mental health in schools needs reshaping, not more support
What school leaders are seeing, and why current approaches aren’t shifting outcomes “Schools are not services we access when something goes wrong.” Across schools, there has been a significant increase in attention to mental health. More training, more roles, more support pathways. This is important, much needed progress. And yet, many schools are noticing a […]
Perform. Comply. Never stop. Is this the message our children are hearing?
Every year, The Good Childhood Report asks young people a simple question: How is life going? Based on insights and recommendations from The Good Childhood Report 2025, this blog explores what young people are telling us about school wellbeing and belonging. Children and young people feel like the system says: What they need to hear is: […]
EBSA and the Mental Health Crisis: why schools must not normalise rising distress
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead. Across the country, schools are reporting a rise in emotionally driven absence. More pupils are struggling to attend school, not because they don’t want to learn, but because they feel emotionally overwhelmed. This is often described as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), and while the terminology varies, […]
Whole School Approach to Mental Health: What’s Working, What’s Missing, and What’s Next in 2025
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead. Quick Summary: Whole School Mental Health in 2025 85% of schools report implementing a whole school approach Key gaps: parent engagement, tracking impact, referrals Minds Ahead calls for national leadership, long-term funding and strategic guidance Learn more: Explore Our School Mental Health Framework A decade ago, […]
From Insight to Action: How Schools Can Respond to the Children’s Commissioner’s Call on Mental Health and Poverty
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead In July 2025, the Children’s Commissioner released a stark report: Growing Up in a Low-Income Family. The findings were confronting—children describing shame, hunger, overcrowding, and fear. But they also pointed towards solutions. This blog is a direct response to that call. We ask:What can schools […]