Schools

Schools Week mental health investigation longlisted for top journalism award

Eight-page special on the CAMHS crisis is in the running for the Paul Foot award for investigative and campaigning journalism

Eight-page special on the CAMHS crisis is in the running for the Paul Foot award for investigative and campaigning journalism

A Schools Week investigation into the crisis in children and young people’s mental health services has been longlisted for the prestigious Paul Foot journalism award.

The eight-page special report was written by senior reporter Samantha Booth and commissioning editor Jess Staufenberg, and was published in February.

Schools Week
Booth

It revealed the devastating toll of failing support systems on families and schools, and documented testimony from scores of families and school leaders, alongside data from Freedom of Information requests to hundreds of councils, multi-academy trusts and the NHS.

The award was established in 2004, in memory of investigative journalist Paul Foot.

Schools Week
Staufenberg

It honours the UK’s “most brilliant, talented and determined journalists working in the fields of investigative and campaigning journalism today”.

The longlist was announced today by Private Eye magazine, which administers the award. The shortlist will be announced next Wednesday.

John Dickens, editor of Schools Week, said: “Jess and Sam showed dogged determination to uncover and tell the stories of families being failed by our collapsing mental health services.

“At Schools Week we are passionate and committed to agenda-setting investigations, and I could not be more proud their phenomenal work has made the longlist of one of journalism’s most sought-after and competitive awards.”

Children turned away for support

Schools Week’s investigation revealed how suicidal children are being turned away for mental health support, with schools instead told to “keep them safe”.

It reported that thousands of children are stuck on waiting lists for expert help, with schools digging into their own pockets to fund support.

The investigation also found that therapists once provided to schools free now cost hundreds of pounds a visit, and explored accusations from schools that parents are “fabricating illnesses” as collapsing support drives rifts.

We also revealed how parents are using life insurance and raiding savings to fund legal fights for support, with one parent claiming the stress contributed to her stroke.

Meanwhile, it found that increases in the number of pupils with additional needs has left special schools “bursting at the seams”, with youngsters left in unequipped mainstream schools.

Latest education roles from

Director of Governance – HRUC

Director of Governance – HRUC

FEA

Principal and CEO

Principal and CEO

Hills Road Sixth Form College

Senior Quality Officer

Senior Quality Officer

University of Lancashire

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Minerva Learning Trust

Sponsored posts

Sponsored post

IncludEd Conference: Get Inclusion Ready

As we all clamber to make sense of the new Ofsted framework, it can be hard to know where...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Helping every learner use AI responsibly

AI didn’t wait to be invited into the classroom. It burst in mid-lesson. Across UK schools, pupils are already...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Retire Early, Live Fully: What Teachers Need to Consider First

Specialist Financial Adviser, William Adams, from Wesleyan Financial Services discusses what teachers should be considering when it comes to...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

AI Safety: From DfE Guidance to Classroom Confidence

Darren Coxon, edtech consultant and AI education specialist, working with The National College, explores the DfE’s expectations for AI...

SWAdvertorial

More from this theme

Schools

School uniform: New rules to meet Labour’s cap revealed

Government guidance tells schools to confirm changes ASAP, consider legal advice and lets parents complain to government

Jack Dyson
Schools

AI could analyse lessons delivered by new teachers under NIOT pilot

Artificial intelligence could be used to analyse recordings of lessons by early career teachers under a new trial being...

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Politics, Schools

Reform government would ‘root out teachers brainwashing kids’ says MP Lee Anderson

Reform UK members tell party conference of need to crack down on 'brainwashing' teachers and stop schools 'becoming indoctrination...

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Schools

Farage: ‘Let’s start teaching trades and services at school’

Reform leader also says he ‘will not stand for kids’ minds being poisoned in schools with a twisted interpretation...

Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *