The landscape of teaching in Wales has changed significantly post-Covid-19, with educators reporting increased workload pressures, rising Additional Learning Needs demands (Conn & Hutt, 2020), expectations of teaching additional subjects, increasing issues with pupil behaviour and the demands of a whole-school approach to wellbeing. This blog post explores how practitioners’ mental health and wellbeing (MHWB) has been impacted and the ways in which this is being addressed in Wales.

Increasing pressures on MHWB are being experienced by both school staff and pupils. In 2024, 79 per cent of UK teachers reported work-related stress (Education Support, 2024a). This is further impacted by retention issues with almost a threefold jump in the numbers leaving the profession between 2020 and 2023, with 71.8 per cent leaving before retirement age (Welsh Government, 2024).

Despite significant recognition of the value of MHWB in Wales through legislation and policy directives related to education, stress and related issues including anxiety, depression and burnout persist among the workforce (Education Support, 2024a).

Key challenges teachers face

There has also been growing concern for the increasing numbers of pupils reporting poor MHWB. It is estimated that half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age, with 75 per cent by age 24, although most are not identified (Colizzi et al., 2020).

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) notes that children and young people who are at risk of developing poor MHWB include those:

• who have/live with additional learning needs
• who are or have been exposed to adversity
• who live in areas of socioeconomic deprivation.

Many of these issues are prevalent in Wales, according to the Children’s Commissioner for Wales. Young people spend much of their time at school and their teachers are in a unique position to potentially detect the early signs of poor MHWB.

However, due to limited staff training and specialist knowledge, it is not always easy to recognise poor MHWB. Also, some pupils may try to hide how they are feeling or what they are doing from others. Teachers, at the forefront of education, find themselves recognising and responding to the challenges that arise with poor MHWB among pupils. This can cause significant teacher anxiety and result in responses to pupil behaviour which are not always the most effective.

‘[Although] teachers are in a unique position to potentially detect the early signs of poor mental health and wellbeing, due to limited staff training and specialist knowledge, it is not always easy to recognise poor MHWB.’

Impact on teacher wellbeing

The emotional impact on teachers dealing with pupils’ MHWB has been identified as a cause of increased teacher stress (Education Support, 2024b). Evidence suggests a close association between teacher and pupil wellbeing (Hurry et al., 2021). While teachers are often the first point of contact for pupils seeking support, pupils also display high levels of sensitivity in relation to their teachers’ MHWB. This reciprocal impact indicates the need for provision being in place which assists teacher as well as student wellbeing.

According to teaching unions, as well as increasing behaviour management issues, a significant factor affecting teachers is excessive workload. Practitioners juggle academic demands with expanding pastoral roles, extra-curricular expectations and currently, in Wales, implementation of the Curriculum for Wales and the Additional Learning Needs Code.

These competing priorities contribute to a risk of burnout and potential attrition in the profession. Staff also report that a lack of support and recognition from the wider public is negatively affecting the profession and subsequent job satisfaction with 70 per cent of teachers reporting that challenging interactions with parents have the same effect (Education Support, 2024b).

Solutions and support strategies

Wales leads the way on initiatives to promote MHWB in schools, including:

• The Framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing recognises practitioner wellbeing as key to forming strong teacher–learner relationships.
• MHWB is embedded within the Curriculum for Wales as one of the six Areas of Learning and Experience.
• The Welsh Government’s Workload charter aims to improve staff wellbeing to reduce unnecessary workload.
• The Staff Wellbeing Service provides access to training and guidance for staff and senior leaders.
• The Mental Health and Wellbeing hub provides information, tools and resources for school staff.

These all feed into the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Nevertheless, while such steps are being taken to promote good MHWB for pupils, regular opportunities to reflect and evaluate their effectiveness for teachers are also required both at a local and national level.

References

Colizzi, M., Lasalvia, A., & Ruggeri, M. (2020). Prevention and early intervention in youth mental health: Is it time for a multidisciplinary and trans-diagnostic model for care? International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 14(23). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-020-00356-9

Conn, C., & Hutt, M. (2020). Successful futures for all? Additional learning needs in Wales in the light of curriculum reform. British Journal of Special Education, 47(2), pp. 152–169. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12307

Education Support. (2024a). Teacher Wellbeing Index 2024.  https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/media/ftwl04cs/twix-2024.pdf

Education Support. (2024b, November 20). Alarming rise in challenging parent and pupil behaviour amid unsustainable levels of stress and burnout. https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/news-and-events/news/alarming-rise-in-challenging-parent-and-pupil-behaviour-amid-unsustainable-levels-of-stress-and-burnout/

Hurry, J., Bonell, C., Carroll, C., & Deighton, J. (2021). The role of schools in the mental health of children & young people. British Educational Research Association. https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/the-role-of-schools-in-the-mental-health-of-children-young-people

Welsh Government. (2024). School Workforce Census results: As at November 2023 [Statistics]. https://www.gov.wales/school-workforce-census-results-november-2023-html

World Health Organization [WHO]. (2024). Mental health of adolescents [Factsheet]. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health