3. To ask the Scottish Government how schools identify and support children with mental health problems. (S5O-01696)

Education authorities and all those who work in our schools have a responsibility to identify, support and develop the mental wellbeing of pupils, with decisions on how to provide that support being taken on the basis of local circumstances and needs.

Every child and young person should have access to emotional and mental wellbeing support in school. Some children will be provided with access to school-based counselling, while others will be supported by pastoral care staff, and there will be liaison with the educational psychological services and family and health services for specialist support when that is required. A mental health link person is available to every school. That has been achieved in a variety of ways, using various models that work to meet local needs.

As part of the Government’s mental health strategy, we are undertaking a national review of how personal and social education is delivered in schools, which will include an assessment of how the teaching of mental wellbeing is being delivered. The review will be completed by the end of this calendar year.

The cabinet secretary will be aware of the findings of a Scottish Association for Mental Health survey of teachers that showed that two thirds felt that they had insufficient training in mental health to carry out their roles. Seventy-three per cent of the teachers who were surveyed had low levels of confidence in their resources to respond to a pupil who raised concerns about mental health. On the basis of those results, will the Scottish Government commit to ensuring that teachers receive adequate training on a continuing basis? Will the cabinet secretary commend North Ayrshire Council for leading the way in offering pupils access to mental health counselling after starting a new counselling service across its secondary schools?

I welcome North Ayrshire Council’s approach, which I expect to be reflected in a variety of ways around the country in different local authorities. The service will not be delivered identically in other parts of the country, because other local authorities will consider how best to meet the needs of young people as effectively as they can.

I am very aware of the findings of the SAMH survey and take them seriously. We recognise the significance of the issues, which is why they must be reflected on by our initial teacher education providers and feature in the continuing professional development of the teaching profession.

I am in and out the schools of Scotland weekly—I was in a school this morning, before I came to the Parliament—and I see very good work being undertaken to address the mental wellbeing of young people. Health and wellbeing is one of the three fundamental aspects of curriculum for excellence that were part of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education’s guidance to education authorities in August 2016, which must inform curriculum delivery in all areas of Scotland.