Mental health problems rocket by 580% among Scottish school pupils in just a decade

The figures come amid a doubling of the number of youngsters with additional support needs (ASN)

SNP ministers are under fresh pressure to find new investment to support Scottish school pupils as figures show a 580 per cent rise in the number reporting mental health problems.

Concerns have been growing over the past few years about the impact on younger generations of school closures and lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the subsequent cost-of-living crisis.

A teenage girl with her head in her hands showing signs of mental health issues. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Pressures linked to social media, cyber bullying and harmful online content have also been highlighted, including as a result of the recent Netflix drama Adolescence.

Meanwhile, a huge rise in the number of Scottish pupils with additional support needs (ASN) has led to scrutiny of Scotland’s policy of sending the vast majority of pupils to mainstream schools.

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A recent Audit Scotland report into the trend called for a fundamental review of the way Scottish schools are funded and staffed.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), a group of independent care providers, has now highlighted official data showing the number of ASN pupils reporting mental health problems has increased from 1,870 in 2014 to 12,707 last year - a rise of almost 580 per cent.

It also said those with communication support needs had risen by 303 per cent in the period. The number with dyslexia was up by 122 per cent, while for autistic spectrum disorder the number increased by 240 per cent.

Overall, the number of pupils with ASN has more than doubled in the past ten years from 140,501 to 284,448, or from 20.8 per cent of the roll to 40.5 per cent.

The rise has been linked to the inclusive approach to additional support for learning (ASL) outlined in a 2004 law in Scotland, along with changes to data recording, increasing awareness of needs and conditions like autism, as well as the impact of Covid and the cost of living.

At the same time, the number of specialist teachers supporting those with ASN has fallen from 3,077 to 2,837.

A spokesperson for the SCSC said: “Given these escalating numbers of those with ASN, it is vital that those requiring it get the care and support that they need.

“This is clearly difficult in an environment of austerity and budget cuts, highlighted by cuts in, for example, the number of ASN teachers.

“While we also support the presumption of mainstreaming, that all children and young people be educated in a mainstream educational environment unless specific exceptional circumstances apply, it is clearly difficult to see how this is functioning properly for all those with ASN given a fall in specialist support and increase in the number of those identified with conditions such as mental health problems and autism.

“Associated with this, we are witnessing increasing levels of classroom disruption, a key cause of this being the increase in the number of those with ASN, who are not receiving the support they are entitled to.

“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society.”

After praise for improvement at Berwickshire High School, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the role of knowledge would be considered as part of a 'curriculum improvement cycle' (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) | Getty

Earlier this month, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth was quizzed about the presumption of mainstreaming pupils.

The SNP minister told MSPs: “Although I will not stand against the presumption of mainstreaming, because I think that it is important, we need to look at how it is resourced on the ground.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the growth in ASN presents challenges and that’s why we are investing an additional £29 million this year to support provision of the ASN workforce in schools.

“We are also continuing to invest £16m annually in counselling services in secondary schools and we have provided local authorities with over £65m to fund more than 300 community-based mental health and wellbeing supports and services for children, young people and their families since 2020. Councils report that almost 83,000 people used them between July 2023 and March 2024.

“However, there is clearly still work to do to ensure every child gets the support they need and this will continue to be a joint endeavour with local authorities.”

Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine said: “Under the SNP, the number of additional support needs teachers has cratered, despite the number of ASN pupils being at a record high.

“Waits for mental health support are shocking and the current provision of additional support for learning is clearly inadequate.

“Coupled with high rates of unacceptable behaviour and so many young people just not turning up for school, it's clear that teachers, parents and pupils are fighting an uphill battle.

“The SNP Government must cut waits for mental health support and ensure additional support for learning is properly supported."