Mental health must be tackled in school, according to researchers

The burden of poor mental health among children needs to be tackled to help in later life, said Aberdeen University.

The �100,000 project was funded by the Scottish Executive.

One researcher said: "Perhaps we need someone to do for mental health what Jamie Oliver has tried to do for kids' eating habits at school."

The project - Investigating the Links between Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools - explored how schools are dealing with a new tide of challenging behaviour thought to be triggered by poor mental health.

One in four young people is estimated to suffer from poor mental health, with problems such as self harm and depression becoming an increasingly common feature of the teenage years and below.

Perhaps we need someone to do for mental health what Jamie Oliver has tried to do for kid's eating habits at school Janet Shucksmith Project leader

It is thought there is a link between conduct problems in adolescence and then problems in adulthood.

Project leader Janet Shucksmith said: "If we don't want problems to stack up into later life, we have to start spotting young people's distress at an earlier age and acting to remedy it.

Disruptive pupils

"Schools are in a great position to act as this first line of attack on the problem.

"Schools can do much in the way they organise themselves, the relationships they have with pupils and parents, to promote good mental health as well as all the current emphasis on physical health.

"Perhaps we need someone to do for mental health what Jamie Oliver has tried to do for kid's eating habits at school."

The research project's main aim was to explore the different strategies in use throughout Scotland for working with those who become disruptive or withdrawn in school.

Jamie Oliver helped children eat well in school

The researchers found the notion they might have some responsibility for working to improve young people's mental health and well-being is still relatively new to schools and teachers.

Another researcher, Dr Kate Philip, said: "Teachers shouldn't be frightened by the new responsibility. They are not on their own in this.

"New policies to make schools the focus of delivering services for young people mean that there is a whole range of different professionals willing to share their experience and skills.

"Clinical specialists are there, of course, to support the most needy pupils, but the whole school community benefits from having staff trained to develop a sympathetic ear to children's troubles and to act robustly to support them."

The Scotland-wide research involved interviews with key personnel from all local authorities across Scotland, as well as representatives of all health boards and a number of voluntary organisations with interests in mental health.