Commenting as Parentkind releases its Parent Voice Report 2021, providing new detailed evidence of parents' views on their child's mental health, schooling and education, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Schools play a vital role in promoting good mental health and emotional wellbeing amongst pupils of all ages. Many children come to school needing not just academic help, but a wide range of pastoral, mental health and wellbeing support too.

“But schools cannot be the only place children or their families are able to turn for help with mental health. The support of well-integrated and well-funded social and health services is equally vital. Sadly, these services have been as starved of funding as education by a decade of austerity. 

“NAHT has long called for additional resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of pupils, including increased capacity of social care, health and other services to meet the growing demand and to reduce waiting times.”