With Mental health issues on the rise amongst many teenagers in  post Covid-19 society, access to spaces to practice religion or mindfulness would significantly aid children and teenagers suffering in silence. By February 2022 under a new poll, 95% of educational professionals had noticed a stark increase in the number of children experiencing mental health issues, only 23% of whom being  able to access pastoral support. Suicide rates have also unfortunately increased amongst teenagers and university students as a result of insufficient intervention at younger ages. With many schools in the country being underfunded, access to a school councillor in some well established schools may be severely limited and hard to achieve by schools. 

"Mindfulness" was something introduced in many schools as part of PSHE lessons over lockdown, and studies have found that strong religious beliefs or simply meditation can significantly improve conditions such as these. However something as simple as a space to pray is something many British Secondary School students do not have access to. This is something I personally have experienced in an Ofsted Outstanding Secondary School where praying at lunchtimes was entirely banned (pre-covid19) with the official reasoning being that the school was not a designated religion school, and a multifaith prayer room would be seen as bias toward the majority Muslim pupil demographic. This school in question was also at the time a recognised UNICEF rights respecting school. And other non faith designated schools in the local area were even inviting members of the local community to offer a sermon during Friday congregational prayers that the school facilitated at lunch times.

 Under the Equality Act 2010 (doesn't apply to Northern Ireland) schools are given the right to decide on these issues through their own discretion, but many of us find ourselves questioning if this is enough.

Atkinson Road Primary Academy, a non-faith school in Newcastle
opened its first multi-faith prayer room in 2016. The inspiration for
the room came from a young Muslim pupil who needed to pray on
the first day of school but noticed that the direction of Mecca (the
direction in which Muslims are required to pray) was unclear. The
room is now equipped with bibles, rosary beads, skullcaps, hijabs,
and prayer mats and is available for use during break and lunchtimes.
Pupils at the school stated that “it’s a very nice thing for everybody”.
Similarly, Leytonstone School, a secondary school in East
London, welcomes all students to use their prayer facilities for quiet
reflection and operates a ‘prayer club’ for students to pray
with a sermon delivered on Fridays by a member of staff.
Such accommodations are simple but have a lasting impact on the
self-development of students.

Being a cost effective method of helping students (not as an alternative to pastoral support but rather as extra support for those who suffer in silence),  making a multifaith prayer room an obligation for schools offer to students (even if it is simply a designated classroom to act as a prayer room) would allow all students access to the fundamental right of freedom of expression.

Now is the time to act to try and help these children, so please email your local MP and help me get this petition to parliament!!

government warned of a national health emergency by the NHS