Parents are turning to schools for student mental health

School counselors and social workers, teachers, and administrators have always been integral to a parent’s support network. This is particularly true for children who struggle in class and have trouble accessing their curriculum.  Collaborative communication between a school and parents is critical for ensuring positive student outcomes.

Although clearly an issue before the pandemic, the pandemic has increased our collective awareness of children’s mental health issues and schools’ role in addressing those challenges. At the height of the pandemic, we were aware of the toll that the effects of the pandemic were taking on the nation’s school children, but we were functioning in a survival mode. As we emerge from this survival mode, it is clear that our school-age children are in crisis.

According to an October 30, 2022, Wall Street Journal article, “A mental-health crisis among children and teens that had been brewing for years worsened as routines were disrupted in the pandemic and many kids faced isolation and loss.”

Parents Looking to Schools for Mental Health Resources

Parents are increasingly turning to schools for support. According to a new nationwide survey of more than 1,100 parents of children between the ages of five and 18, 83% of surveyed parents said schools and healthcare providers should do more to provide better mental health services.

This is not surprising – parents have historically turned to schools for support when it comes to finding resources for children who struggle in the classroom and at home.

Related:
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Children’s mental health remains a major concern