Mental health problems and eating disorders: a student teacher’s perception of current challenges facing pastoral care in education

ABSTRACT Pastoral care in education aims to promote the holistic development of all pupils whilst supporting those who experience challenging personal circumstances. Significant developments have been made in this field in recent years, including increased focus in Initial Teacher Education, yet major challenges remain to be addressed nationally and internationally, particularly in terms of mental health among children and young people where the rising incidence and negative consequences of poor mental health and mental illness are sobering. Although the past decade has seen significant progress in terms of positive mental health promotion within schools, this paper argues that mental health-related programmes and support in schools require planned, effective and consistent collaboration between education professionals and mental health professionals. Additionally, schools have an integral role to play in the education and promotion of healthy lifestyles among pupils. However, some school-based healthy eating messages have the potential to trigger the development of unhealthy food relationships and disordered eating behaviours among children and young people. Thus, looking ahead, comprehensive, in-depth eating disorders awareness training is essential for all educational professionals (including trainee teachers), equipping them to deliver effective and consistent health promotion programmes to all of our children and young people.