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| Teachers report rise in mental health fears | Teachers report rise in mental health fears |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than a third - 38% - of school and college staff have seen a rise in mental health issues among colleagues in the past two years, a poll for a teachers' union suggests. | More than a third - 38% - of school and college staff have seen a rise in mental health issues among colleagues in the past two years, a poll for a teachers' union suggests. |
| And 55% said their job had a negative impact on their mental health. | And 55% said their job had a negative impact on their mental health. |
| The government says it trusts heads to address any health issues with staff. | The government says it trusts heads to address any health issues with staff. |
| The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) last month polled 925 education staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) last month polled 925 education staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| Disturbed sleep | Disturbed sleep |
| Of those who said they believed their job has had a negative impact on their mental health, 80% said they were stressed. | Of those who said they believed their job has had a negative impact on their mental health, 80% said they were stressed. |
| Some 70% said they were left feeling exhausted by their work and 66% said it disturbed their sleep. | Some 70% said they were left feeling exhausted by their work and 66% said it disturbed their sleep. |
| The ATL is concerned that a stigma attached to mental health issues means many people are afraid to tell their employers if they have such problems. | The ATL is concerned that a stigma attached to mental health issues means many people are afraid to tell their employers if they have such problems. |
| The poll found 68% of those dealing with a mental health problem had decided to keep it a secret from bosses, compared with 38% of those who kept a physical health issue to themselves. | The poll found 68% of those dealing with a mental health problem had decided to keep it a secret from bosses, compared with 38% of those who kept a physical health issue to themselves. |
| The ATL debated the topic at its annual conference in Manchester on Monday. | |
| In a range of passionate speeches, delegates spoke of talking colleagues out of suicide, having panic attacks on the way to work, crying in a friend's classroom and being told to "get over it" by management. | |
| Tamsin Honeybourne, a union representative in Surrey, said she typically had three members a year about whom she was "seriously worried". | |
| "It's under-recognised. The problem is huge. In 80% of cases, there are mental health issues around being in a high pressured profession, being on the public stage." | |
| Rod Bissett from Birmingham, who himself suffered a period of mental health problems, said: "I've seen colleagues reduced to tears because of their depression and other mental health problems." | |
| A resolution calling on the union to establish a dedicated working group to investigate the issue was passed. | |
| Union members want to look specifically at the impact of performance management systems on those with mental health problems or hidden disabilities | |
| 'Intense pressure' | 'Intense pressure' |
| Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of ATL, said she was shocked by the survey findings. | Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of ATL, said she was shocked by the survey findings. |
| "Education professionals do more unpaid overtime than any other group and are put under constant intense pressure to meet targets, with excessive observation, changes in the curriculum and Ofsted inspections. | "Education professionals do more unpaid overtime than any other group and are put under constant intense pressure to meet targets, with excessive observation, changes in the curriculum and Ofsted inspections. |
| "Those working in education need to be supported better, with schools and colleges making adjustments to their jobs and working conditions where necessary. | "Those working in education need to be supported better, with schools and colleges making adjustments to their jobs and working conditions where necessary. |
| "ATL calls for more to be done to ease the stigma surrounding mental health problems." | "ATL calls for more to be done to ease the stigma surrounding mental health problems." |
| A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said statistics showed that teaching had never been "more attractive, more popular or more rewarding". | A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said statistics showed that teaching had never been "more attractive, more popular or more rewarding". |
| "We trust the professionalism of our head teachers to work with their staff to ensure they receive the support they need and to see that any issues are addressed," she added. | "We trust the professionalism of our head teachers to work with their staff to ensure they receive the support they need and to see that any issues are addressed," she added. |