Government links poor mental health with school absence

World Mental Health Day offers a chance to reflect on a recent government response about the link between mental health and school attendance.

For One-Eighty, this is important recognition of something seen every day: mental health and education are connected, and absence is rarely the whole story.

Anxiety, trauma, SEND and other emotional or psychological difficulties can make engaging with education increasingly difficult. Without the right support, absence can become disengagement and opportunities can narrow.

“Evidence also indicates that children and young people with a probable mental disorder are around seven times more likely to have missed more than 15 days of school than those unlikely to have a mental disorder.”

- Baroness Smith of Malvern (Read response here)

One-Eighty addresses what sits beneath the absence. Psychology-led support works alongside young people, families, schools and professionals to improve mental health and rebuild sustainable engagement with education.

One-Eighty’s interventions regularly achieve 90%+ success against planned outcomes.

Support needs to be available when a young person needs it.

This World Mental Health Day, a donation could help to make this possible. From early preventative work to intensive support, every donation makes an impact.