Mental Health and Safeguarding in Young People: The Complete Guide for Parents and Schools

The Scale of the Problem

Children's mental health in England has deteriorated sharply over the past decade. NHS England's 2023 survey found that one in five children aged 8–16 had a probable mental disorder — up from one in nine in 2017.^[1] Among young people aged 17–19, the rate rises to one in four.

These figures are not simply a result of better recognition. Research from the Anna Freud Centre and University College London confirms a genuine deterioration in the mental wellbeing of young people, accelerated by the Covid pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and the sustained impact of social media on self-perception and sleep.^[2]

The Safeguarding Link

Mental health and safeguarding are deeply intertwined — but the direction of influence runs both ways. Children who experience abuse, neglect or exploitation are significantly more likely to develop mental health difficulties. Equally, children whose mental health is poor are more vulnerable to exploitation and harm — particularly county lines recruitment, online grooming, and peer pressure into criminal activity.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 explicitly recognises mental health as a safeguarding issue, noting that emotional and psychological abuse can cause significant harm and that unmet mental health needs frequently underpin the vulnerability that exploiters target.^[4]

KCSIE 2024 places a specific duty on schools to be alert to the mental health needs of pupils and to have clear referral pathways to CAMHS and other support services, treating mental health concerns with the same seriousness as other safeguarding disclosures.^[5]

Warning Signs for Parents and School Staff

What Schools Must Do

Under KCSIE 2024, schools must have a clear, written approach to mental health which includes:

• A designated member of staff with lead responsibility for mental health (distinct from, though ideally linked to, the DSL role)
• A whole-school approach to emotional wellbeing embedded across the curriculum — not just delivered as one-off PSHE lessons
• Clear, documented referral pathways to CAMHS and voluntary sector support, including Early Help
• Staff trained to have confident, trauma-informed conversations with young people about their wellbeing

The DfE's Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are now present in approximately 35% of schools and colleges in England (as of 2024/25). Schools not yet covered should contact their local NHS Integrated Care Board for the timeline for their area.

What Parents Can Do

The most protective factor for a young person's mental health is a secure, trusting relationship with at least one reliable adult. You do not need to be a therapist to help — you need to be present, consistent, and willing to listen without immediately trying to fix.

• Check in regularly — not just when something seems wrong
• Normalise talking about feelings by sharing your own (age-appropriately)
• Take their distress seriously, even if the cause seems minor to you
• Contact your GP for a referral to CAMHS if you are concerned — do not wait for a crisis