Student mental health support: why is it important and what does its future hold?

Connor Silcock looks at the future of ‘vital’ mental health services in the Scottish education sector.

Mental health in Scotland is a big issue. According to the Scottish Government, one in three people across the country are impacted by a mental health issue each year. This is a worrying statistic, but the government has assured the people of Scotland that they are addressing the issue.

The government’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 has set out how it will continue to improve mental health support over the course of ten years, by 2027. 

The focus of this will be on preventing mental health issues, improving access to treatments and making them more accessible and improving physical wellbeing of those with mental health issues. These are vital to people who are suffering from mental health issues and need help getting through it.

This is particularly important when it comes to student mental health support — a key area to draw attention to. According to the Thriving Learners study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation and Colleges Scotland, around two thirds of students in Scotland’s colleges have a low mental wellbeing. 

Not only this, but over half of students had reported showing moderate to severe symptoms of depression, with a further 55% of students saying they’ve concealed a mental health issue because of the fear of stigma.

It’s important to stress that universities and colleges across Scotland have services available for any student who is struggling with their mental health. Most institutions have different types of support at the ready, such as councillors, wellbeing advisors and mental health advisors. All of which are happy to help out with any issues you are facing, or if you just need to talk to someone.

Ellie Gomersall, NUS Scotland president explained how important these services are for students who need them: “One of the really good things that’s being provided and is being supported by the Scottish Government for the past five years, is the provision of mental health counsellors in colleges and universities, these are an absolute lifeline for students who are struggling with their mental health.

“Unfortunately, the Scottish Government has not renewed that funding for the next academic year, and it looks like that funding is going to be cut by the Scottish Government at the end of this academic year.

“That means that those mental health counsellors who currently provide that absolute lifeline service will likely lose their jobs if they’re not continued to be funded by the university or college and particularly in some of the smaller institutions, which don’t have the money to be able to fund them themselves.”

The thought of mental health funding being cut after this academic year is a concerning one, as thousands of students rely on the vital services provided on a daily basis. If funding isn’t renewed, it could also have an impact on some of the services which are already available to members of the public.

NHS services such as CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) already sees a large number of people out with universities and colleges, so if funding is removed from educational institutions, it could increase the length of waiting lists meaning less people are able to access the vital support they need.

UHMAN (University Mental Health Advisers Network) is a charity with the largest network of mental health professionals working in the education sector. It covers all types of educational institutions across the whole of the UK. 

Sam Gamblin, of the organisation, said: “Our members are reporting increasing numbers of students who are entering university without being able to access proper and timely support from NHS services, and with complex social and financial situations. 

“Universities are often finding themselves supporting high numbers of students experiencing suicidal thoughts, eating disorders and psychosis, and unable to access support from statutory services.”

In a report by the Scottish Government, it is made clear that Covid has also caused a decline in the mental wellbeing of students, due to a lack of social interaction, academic stress and financial hardship. Although the government has increased the student loan amount by £900 for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, it is still important to ensure this continues alongside the funding given to universities and colleges for mental health support services.

Students are also speaking out on what these services mean to them and why it’s so important that they remain in place. An Edinburgh Napier University student, wishing to remain anonymous, explained how they feel about the future of mental health support in educational institutions: “I think it’s really important that students have access to mental health services for the entire time they are studying. 

“University can often be the most stressful time in an individual’s life with an array of factors (such as moving away from home and exams) causing extra stress.

“I found that the mental health service provided by my university was amazing and actually managed to help and support me through a lot of really difficult times, without that service I don’t know what I would’ve done. 

“So many students suffer from mental health problems, no matter the severity I think it’s vital that these services remain to be funded so students can get the help they need.”

As the academic year comes to a close, many students will still be using services offered from their institutions to help them with any mental health problems they are facing. But it is still important to secure student support funding for the years ahead. Ellie Gomersall added: “The challenge is making sure that those services are able to be kept, but right now they are still fully operational. 

“It’s really important that students who do need it, who are in that poor mental health situation, still do access the services that are available, because there is lots of support out there. And whilst we continue fighting for this funding to be kept, there is still support that’s being offered.”

If you are struggling with your mental health, reach out to your institution, or for urgent help contact Samaritans on 116 123.

Connor Silcock