CLINICAL/EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS URGENT CALL FOR ACTION

We are HCPC registered psychologists working with children, young people, and families across the UK. We are witnessing an unprecedented mental health crisis that demands immediate government action.

📖 READ OUR FULL OPEN LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE:
https://sites.google.com/theclinpsychgroup.com/education-letter/home

THE CRISIS IN NUMBERS:
🚨 1 in 5 children experiencing mental health difficulties
🚨 Over 50% of cases directly linked to school experiences
🚨 77.8% increase in EHCPs for Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs
🚨 1.6 million pupils persistently absent from school

THIS IS NOT A COMPLIANCE PROBLEM - IT'S A DESIGN FAILURE

Current government proposals for School Attendance Orders and parent fines are blunt instruments that ignore the root causes. When children are struggling with their mental health because of school experiences, punitive measures will only make the crisis worse.

WE HAVE EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS:
✅ Trauma-informed approaches showing 90% reduction in exclusions
✅ Countries like Finland achieving high academic outcomes while prioritizing wellbeing
✅ Play-based learning until age 7 supporting optimal development
✅ Relationship-focused behaviour policies improving outcomes for all

WE CALL FOR:

1. Reassessment of high-stakes testing in primary schools given evidence of harm to children's mental health
2. Implementation of developmentally appropriate teaching methods based on child development research
3. Transformation of punitive behaviour policies to evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches
4. Reform of Ofsted frameworks to meaningfully include wellbeing and inclusion measures
5. Urgent meeting with clinical psychologists to discuss evidence-based solutions for our children

READ THE FULL LETTER: https://sites.google.com/theclinpsychgroup.com/education-letter/home

⚠️THIS PETITION IS FOR HCPC REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGISTS ONLY ⚠️

Together, we can create an education system that supports children's wellbeing AND academic achievement.

The government must listen to the professionals who see the impact of these policies every day.

#ChildrensMentalHealth #EducationReform #ClinicalPsychology