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Mental health issues amongst school staff in the UK education system are on the rise. From Teachers to Governors, Headteachers to Safeguarding Leads; every member of staff that holds up the pillars of the education setting are under immense pressure and stress. They are attacked from a multitude of different angles. From their economic situation, to the changing landscape of the school and its students, to the stress of expectation to achieve the same - if not higher - goals, with less funding, fewer resources, and, in some cases, more students.

A recent study done by the Teacher Wellbeing Index surveyed of over 3,025 education staff has new insights on the impact of pupil and parent behaviour on staff morale and wellbeing.

  • 82% of the workforce who told us that challenging behaviour by pupils and students had increased said this negatively affected their mental health and wellbeing
  • 70% who report a similar increase in challenging interactions by parents also said it had the same effect
  • 84% of staff who told us that that verbal or physical abuse by pupils or students has increased believe it is due to the lack of provision for students’ physical, emotional, and mental health needs

Research from Education Support’s latest Teacher Wellbeing Index highlights the main causes of poor mental health amongst education staff.

Lack of support from public services

Staff also report that a lack of support from wider public services is negatively affecting how well they can do their job, their ability to switch off after work as well as their job satisfaction.

Persistently high rates of stress, anxiety, depression and burnout

There are also familiar findings with disturbingly high rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout in the education workforce. But there is some positive news. The survey did see a slight improvement in some wellbeing data and perceptions of workplace culture and its impact on mental health and wellbeing. Schools are doing amazing work in challenging circumstances, and they need more support to maintain this momentum.

  • 77% of all staff experience symptoms of poor mental health due to work (down 3% on 2023)
  • 46% experienced insomnia or difficulty sleeping 50% of staff consider their organisation’s culture has a negative effect on their wellbeing (down 5% on 2023)