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Right now, 1 in 6 children in the UK struggle with mental health issues, yet schools remain under-resourced to provide daily support. Anxiety, stress, and poor focus are rising, impacting learning, wellbeing, and future success. The government has acknowledged the importance of mental health in education, but more must be done.

At School Breathe CIC, www.schoolbreathe.org we’ve witnessed the transformative power of breathwork in schools. Our simple, science-backed breathing exercises are helping thousands of children feel calmer, more focused, and ready to learn, while also equipping them with lifelong tools to manage their emotions with confidence. But we believe every child in the UK deserves this support.

Children are the heartbeat of our future, yet the education system is not doing enough to address the growing mental health crisis. With mental health challenges on the rise, it’s time to prioritise mental health and emotional wellbeing as an essential part of learning.

Every child deserves to breathe easy—at school and in life.

Simple, evidence-based practices like breathwork can help children self-regulate, focus, and build resilience, yet these tools are missing from most classrooms. By integrating them into the school day, we can empower students and reduce pressure on teachers and NHS services.

Our Call To Action

We urge the UK government to take urgent action to address the mental health crisis among children by:

1.    Embedding emotional wellbeing into the national curriculum across primary, secondary, and further education - ensuring that all students receive structured, evidence-based education on managing stress, emotions, and resilience.
2.    Mandating breathwork and mindfulness practices as part of the daily school routine, giving students the tools to self-regulate, focus, and improve their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing - proven to enhance academic performance and reduce anxiety.
3.    Providing every school with government-funded training and resources to equip teachers with essential skills to support students' mental health effectively, reducing pressure on NHS services and improving long-term outcomes.

The government has recognised the importance of children’s mental health in the RSHE curriculum and the 2024 Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Now, we call for action to ensure every child has access to simple, effective strategies to breathe better, feel better, and learn better.

It’s time to give children the tools they need to thrive.

Join us in urging the government to take action - sign the petition today!

This is a call to action for parents, teachers, headteachers, and all who care about our children’s future. Together, we can ensure that wellbeing is recognised as fundamental to education.

The Statistics

•    1 in 6 children aged 5-16 now experience a mental health problem, a sharp increase from 1 in 9 in 2017 (NHS Digital, 2021).
•    According to YoungMinds, 80% of teachers report that their pupils’ mental health has worsened post-pandemic.
•    Stress, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation are major barriers to academic performance, peer relationships, and overall development.

Why Breathwork Works

Research shows that short, regular breathwork practices can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (Journal of Neurophysiology, 2017) and help adolescents with stress management (NIH, 2022).
• Improve focus, emotional regulation, and classroom behaviour (Harvard Medical School, 2020).
• Boost self-awareness and resilience, helping children navigate challenges with confidence.
• Integrate seamlessly into the school day: Breathwork practices are quick, effective, low cost and require no special equipment, making them easy to incorporate into existing routines such as morning registration, transitions between lessons, or as part of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic) education.

At School Breathe, the impact speaks for itself:

•    In a recent trial, 89% of primary school children reported feeling calmer and more focused after just two weeks of a short regular breathwork practice.
•    Teachers observed a marked improvement in pupil engagement and self regulation. (St Stephen's School, 2022)

Ruth Ashworth, Primary School Teacher, Red Hall Primary School:

"As a primary school teacher, I've witnessed the lasting effects of COVID and worsening mental health among children. Emotional wellbeing and self-regulation are essential for learning, yet many children lack the skills to manage anxiety, sadness, or anger, which hinders their ability to thrive in the classroom and learn to the best of their ability.

Breathwork offers a simple, powerful solution - teaching children how to breathe correctly for better physical health while building resilience and emotional regulation. Importantly, breathwork isn’t just for children facing challenges; it’s for all children. Life will inevitably present hardships, and we must prepare them with tools to navigate these moments. At my school, I’ve seen first-hand how School Breathe techniques positively impacts children, and I firmly believe every child deserves this opportunity."

Sophia Coltart, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, LLB (Hons), BSc (Hons), MA (Hons), MBACP 

“Working with children, young people and adults has shown that while many understand the fight-or-flight response, few recognise the power of something as fundamental as breath. Greater psychoeducation is needed, particularly in linking breathwork to anxiety and panic attacks. If children are taught to connect with their breath and self-regulate their emotions, they will be far better equipped to navigate life’s challenges without relying on pharmaceutical interventions. In the long term, this investment supports better health, confidence, resilience, and self-esteem- essential skills for coping today.”

How You Can Help

Sign our petition to bring this crucial issue to Parliament. Your signature could be the first step towards creating a healthier, happier future for our children.

For All Educational Settings

• Primary Schools: Emotional wellbeing must be nurtured from the early childhood, giving children the essential tools to build resilience, focus, and self-regulation for life.
• Secondary Schools: With rising academic and social pressures, students need practical, accessible wellbeing strategies to support their mental health, boost confidence, and ease transitions.
• Universities: High-pressure academic environments can take a toll on mental well-being - ongoing breathwork and mindfulness practices can help students manage stress, improve focus, and thrive.

Together, we can make a change.

Sign now and share with your networks. Let’s ensure every child has the tools they need to breathe, grow, and succeed.
 
Visit www.schoolbreathe.org to learn more about our mission and how breathwork is changing lives in classrooms across the UK and beyond.