£5m for mental health in Welsh schools

#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek – The Minister for Education, @Kirsty_Williams, and Minister for Health and Social Services, @VaughanGething, have today announced £3.75 million of funding for mental health in schools that will include new support for children under the age of 11.

School counselling services currently provide direct support to young people from the age of 11, or Year 6, up to the age of 18. The funding announced today will extend support to provide mental and emotional support to children younger than Year 6.  

Around 11,500 young people each year access lower level mental health support, outside specialist NHS provision, in schools and community counselling services.

£450,000 will also go towards supporting mental health and well-being of the school workforce. The Welsh Government is working with partners to develop further plans on how that support will be delivered. 

The funding is in addition to £1.25m announced by the Education Minister last month, for local authorities to deliver counselling services in schools, taking the total support to £5m this financial year.

Kirsty Williams said:

“The coronavirus is inevitably causing additional anxiety for people of all ages, not least children and young people. We must therefore anticipate increased demand for mental health support among younger people.

“We know that by tackling problems early you can stop them escalating. Although serious mental health issues are less prevalent among younger children, we’re extending the support available so that children under 11 can also receive support with their emotional well-being, if they need it.

“We know traditional face-to-face counselling is not necessarily appropriate for younger children, who may lack the maturity to explain and understand the issues which concern them.  Instead specialist therapies, such as those based on play and working with the wider family are much more effective and we will work with providers to develop these services as part of our wider whole school approach.”

Vaughan Gething, said:

“With the necessary restrictions on young people’s lives due to coronavirus, including less time with their friends and other family members, we must be prepared for an impact on children’s emotional wellbeing. 

“So it’s important we continue to invest in mental health support for our young people during these very difficult times.” 

£5m ar gyfer iechyd meddwl mewn ysgolion i gynnwys cymorth newydd ar gyfer plant o dan 11 oed ac athrawon

Heddiw, mae’r Gweinidog Addysg, Kirsty Williams, a’r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Vaughan Gething, wedi cyhoeddi cyllid ar gyfer iechyd meddwl mewn ysgolion a fydd yn cynnwys cymorth newydd i blant o dan 11 oed. 

Ar hyn o bryd, mae gwasanaethau cwnsela ysgolion yn darparu cymorth uniongyrchol i bobl ifanc o 11 oed, neu Flwyddyn 6, i 18 oed. Bydd y cyllid a gyhoeddwyd heddiw yn ehangu’r cymorth i ddarparu cefnogaeth feddyliol ac emosiynol i blant iau na Blwyddyn 6.  

Bob blwyddyn, mae tua 11,500 o bobl ifanc yn manteisio ar gymorth iechyd meddwl lefel is, y tu allan i ddarpariaeth arbenigol y GIG, mewn ysgolion a thrwy wasanaethau cwnsela cymunedol.

Bydd £450,000 hefyd yn mynd tuag at gefnogi iechyd meddwl a lles gweithlu ysgolion. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio gyda’i phartneriaid i ddatblygu cynlluniau pellach o ran sut i ddarparu’r cymorth hwnnw. 

Mae’r cyllid yn ychwanegol at £1.25m a gyhoeddwyd gan y Gweinidog Addysg fis diwethaf, i awdurdodau lleol gael darparu gwasanaethau cwnsela mewn ysgolion, sy’n dod â chyfanswm y cymorth i £5m y flwyddyn ariannol hon.

Dywedodd Kirsty Williams:

“Mae’n anochel bod y coronafeirws yn achosi pryder ychwanegol i bobl o bob oed, ac i blant a phobl ifanc yn gymaint â neb. Mae’n rhaid inni fod yn barod, felly, am y cynnydd yn y galw am gymorth iechyd meddwl ymhlith y genhedlaeth iau.

“Rydyn ni’n gwybod bod mynd i’r afael â phroblemau yn gynnar yn gallu eu stopio rhag gwaethygu. Er bod problemau iechyd meddwl difrifol yn llai cyffredin ymhlith plant iau, rydyn ni’n ehangu’r cymorth sydd ar gael fel bod modd i blant o dan 11 oed hefyd gael help emosiynol, os oes ei angen arnynt.

“Rydyn ni’n gwybod nad yw cwnsela wyneb yn wyneb traddodiadol yn briodol, o reidrwydd, yn achos plant iau, gan nad ydynt efallai yn ddigon aeddfed i esbonio a deall y materion sy’n achosi pryder iddynt. Mae therapïau arbenigol, fel therapïau sy’n seiliedig ar chwarae, a gweithio gyda’r teulu ehangach yn llawer mwy effeithiol, a byddwn yn gweithio gyda darparwyr i ddatblygu’r gwasanaethau hyn fel rhan o’n dull gweithredu ehangach ar lefel ysgol gyfan.”

Dywedodd Vaughan Gething:

“Yn wyneb y cyfyngiadau angenrheidiol ar fywydau pobl ifanc yn sgil y coronafeirws, sy’n golygu llai o amser gyda’u ffrindiau ac aelodau o’u teuluoedd, mae’n rhaid inni fod yn barod am effaith ar les emosiynol plant. 

“Mae’n bwysig, felly, ein bod ni’n parhau i fuddsoddi mewn cymorth iechyd meddwl ar gyfer ein pobl ifanc yn ystod y cyfnod anodd iawn hwn.”