We welcome Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson鈥檚 new 鈥榗hild-centred approach鈥�, announced at the Labour Party conference, to reform education, by breaking down barriers to opportunity, including mental ill health and child poverty.

In her conference speech Bridget Philipson promised to tackle education inequality and develop a comprehensive child poverty strategy.

Build a better society聽

She also said it was unacceptable that some teachers are expected to double up as mental health counsellors and that: 鈥淚f we are to build a better society for tomorrow, we must change the childhood of today鈥�.

This follows the Chancellor's announcement of the roll out of the government's new free breakfast clubs.

Commitment to children's wellbeing

The Education Secretary also committed to publishing a Children's Wellbeing Bill in the coming months, which will 鈥榩ut children and their wellbeing at the centre of the education鈥�. We will engage closely with this process.

Jo Holmes, our Children, Young People and Families Lead, said:

鈥淭his is a promising start. We鈥檙e keen to hear more detail in the autumn budget as well as within the Children's Wellbeing Bill with concrete guarantees on funding for school and college counselling.

鈥淭hese services are easily accessible, non-stigmatising and effective form of early intervention for reducing psychological distress in children and young people.

鈥淭hey reduce mental health issues in adulthood, lead to better educational outcomes and reduce pressure on Children and Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

鈥淭he Labour manifesto committed to putting a mental health professional in every school. We look forward to working with the new government to ensure that this is inclusive of the counselling and psychotherapy profession, universally accessible to all children and young people, wherever they are educated".