Glasgow school staff to receive training on eating disorders and self harm to help children struggling with mental health

School staff are to be trained in eating disorders and self-harm awareness to help children who are struggling with their mental health in Glasgow.

There is a bid to increase the number of staff in secondary and primary schools trained in self harm awareness. Secondary school teachers will also get the chance to do a suicide prevention course next year.

And all pastoral care teachers are to be trained in eating disorder awareness by June 2023.

Glasgow city principal psychologist Barry Syme said: “We are aware of the rise in eating disorders that have come through – possibly linked to the pandemic. But it was something we were seeing before the pandemic.

“We are looking at up-skilling staff in schools around eating disorder awareness through SPOT (Schools Professionals Online Training) provided free by BEATs eating disorder charity.”

“All pastoral care teachers in the city will undertake this training.”

Mr Syme presented details of the mental health support available in Glasgow schools at Thursday’s education, skills and early years city policy committee. Services include play therapy and counselling.

Pastoral care teachers will be taught how to spot the signs of an eating disorder condition and how to help a young person get support.

The council has a plan to increase the number of staff trained in self-harm awareness.

A council report presented at the committee said: “We are into a five-year plan to have two “What’s the Harm” trainers in each secondary school and in the longer term one trainer in each primary school. We will develop support materials for primary schools in responding to self-harm.

“We are in the process of developing a self-harm training plan for all 19 Residential Children’s Houses in Glasgow, we aim to have a trainer based in each Children’s House.”