New teachers will be trained in how to spot the signs of mental health, it will be announced tomorrow.
Prime minister Theresa May is set to make the pledge as part of a new package of measures to ensure people have the “confidence and skills they need to identify mental health issues before they become critical, particularly in young people”.
The training for new teachers will also be backed up by updated statutory guidance to “make clear schools’ responsibilities to protect children’s mental wellbeing”.
The announcement will also include a pledge for “world-class teaching and training materials for all teachers to use in classrooms to meet the new requirements for mental health education for all primary and secondary pupils”.
Details of the pledges, and any funding commitments, are yet to be revealed.
May will say the measures will “make sure at every stage of life, for people of all backgrounds, preventing mental illness gets the urgent attention it deserves”.
“Too many of us have seen first-hand the devastating consequences of mental illness, which is why tackling this burning injustice has always been a personal priority for me.
“But we should never accept a rise in mental health problems as inevitable.
“It’s time to rethink how we tackle this issue, which is why I believe the next great revolution in mental health should be in prevention.”
The plans come on top of the measures announced as part of the mental health services expansion under the NHS long-term plan.
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