UK secondary schools are expected to provide mental health and wellbeing support, but the exact provision varies considerably. Every school should have a designated senior mental health lead and access to some pastoral counselling; many also link to NHS or voluntary sector services for needs that school staff alone cannot address.
What mental health support must schools provide?
There is no single statutory minimum for school mental health provision, but the government's Mental Health in Schools programme and Ofsted's inspection framework together create strong expectations. Schools are expected to:
- Appoint a senior mental health lead — a member of staff who has received specialist training in identifying and coordinating support for pupils with mental health needs
- Have a clear referral pathway so that form tutors, subject teachers, and other staff can pass concerns about a pupil to the right person quickly
- Include mental health education in PSHE lessons (covering emotional wellbeing, stress, relationships, and how to seek help)
- Maintain links with external services, including Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and voluntary sector organisations
Not all schools meet every expectation. Ofsted inspection reports comment on the effectiveness of pastoral care and personal development provision; these sections of a school's inspection report are publicly available and can give parents an indication of how a school approaches wellbeing.
Who is the mental health lead and what do they do?
The senior mental health lead is typically a member of the school's pastoral or leadership team — often a deputy headteacher, SENCO, head of year, or pastoral manager who has received additional training (usually through the government-funded DfE Senior Mental Health Lead Training programme). Their responsibilities include:
- Assessing whole-school need and designing the school's mental health and wellbeing approach
- Coordinating referrals to the school counsellor, external CAMHS, or other services
- Training staff to recognise signs of mental health difficulty in pupils
- Liaising with parents when a pupil's mental health is affecting their attendance or learning
The mental health lead is not a clinical therapist. They coordinate and facilitate but do not provide clinical treatment. If your child needs clinical support, the mental health lead will help navigate the referral pathway.
What does a school counsellor do?
Many secondary schools employ a counsellor or buy in counselling sessions from an external provider, typically for one or two days a week. School counsellors:
- Offer one-to-one confidential sessions with pupils referred by staff or who self-refer
- Use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques, solution-focused approaches, or person-centred counselling
- Provide short-term support (typically six to eight sessions) rather than long-term therapy
- May not be available to every pupil immediately — waiting lists within school are common
School counselling is appropriate for difficulties such as exam anxiety, friendship problems, family disruption, or low mood. It is not a substitute for clinical psychiatric support where that is needed.
What external services can schools refer pupils to?
| Service | What it provides | Referral route |
|---|---|---|
| CAMHS | Specialist NHS mental health assessment and treatment for moderate to severe need | Usually via GP, though school can support referral |
| Kooth | Free online counselling and peer support for young people | Self-referral via kooth.com; available in many areas |
| Place2Be | School-based counselling charity (in some schools) | Via school |
| Young Minds | Advice, information, and crisis text line (text "YM" to 85258) | Self-referral |
| Anna Freud Schools in Mind | Resources and training; not a direct pupil service | School-level |
CAMHS waiting times in England have been significant in recent years. Where the wait is long, the school counsellor, GP, and voluntary sector options (such as Kooth) are important alternatives while the CAMHS assessment process proceeds.
How do I ask the school for mental health support for my child?
- Contact the form tutor first with a brief description of what you are observing at home. Keep it factual — changes in sleep, appetite, social withdrawal, or school refusal are all relevant.
- Ask who the mental health lead is and request that your concern is passed to them if it is serious.
- Ask for a meeting with the pastoral team or SENCo if your child's difficulties are affecting attendance or learning.
- Consider a GP appointment in parallel. Schools and GPs can both refer to CAMHS, and a GP referral often carries clinical weight.
- Follow up in writing. A brief email to the school office creates a record and prompts a response if a verbal conversation has not been acted on.
What if the school's support is not enough?
If your child's needs exceed what school provision can address, the following steps are appropriate:
- GP referral to CAMHS for specialist assessment of anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders, trauma, or other clinical-level concerns.
- Private therapy, if accessible — a BACP-registered therapist or clinical psychologist can provide more intensive support without CAMHS waiting times.
- Crisis line: If your child is in immediate distress, the NHS crisis number (111, option 2 for mental health) or the Samaritans (116 123) are available around the clock.
Frequently asked questions
Is school counselling confidential?
Yes, within limits. School counsellors follow professional confidentiality guidelines: what a pupil says in a session is not routinely shared with parents or teachers. The exception is where there is a safeguarding concern — if a pupil discloses harm to themselves or others, the counsellor is required to pass this to the school's designated safeguarding lead. This is explained to pupils at the start of counselling so there are no surprises.
Can my child self-refer to the school counsellor?
In many secondary schools, yes. Older pupils (typically Year 9 and above) can ask to see the counsellor directly, often via a referral form obtained from the school office or PSHE teacher. In practice, many pupils prefer a trusted adult to initiate the referral on their behalf. If in doubt, ask the form tutor.
What is CAMHS and how long is the wait?
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services is the NHS's specialist mental health provision for under-18s. It assesses and treats more serious mental health conditions that school-level support cannot address. Waiting times in England vary by local authority but have in recent years often been six months to a year or more for non-urgent assessment. A GP referral starts the clock; meanwhile, the school counsellor and voluntary sector services remain available.
My child refuses to speak to a counsellor. What can I do?
Resistance is common, particularly among adolescents who may feel stigmatised by counselling. Normalising help-seeking — making clear that adults use therapy too, and that it is a sign of strength, not weakness — can help over time. An alternative first step may be a trusted key adult in school (a form tutor or head of year) who can check in informally, which some young people find easier than formal counselling.
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