Support is out there for ‘overwhelmed’ teachers

Three teachers behind a wellbeing group for educators in Scotland have noticed a ‘sharp increase’ in anxiety, stress and depression this school year
11th December 2024, 2:30pm

Share

Support is out there for ‘overwhelmed’ teachers

https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/support-out-there-for-overwhelmed-teachers
egg with plaster

As founders of the Scottish Teachers for Positive Change and Wellbeing group, we noticed a sharp increase in anxiety, stress and depression being reported by members quite soon after the new term started in August.

Our group, which has a membership of 4,300 educators across Scotland, has been - from the outset in 2020 - a place for colleagues across different education sectors to reach out, share insights and support each other. We have disagreements, too, which is an important part of a profession that should value discourse and critical thinking.

But this year, it surprised us just how early in the term members were seeking support and reporting distressing situations they were dealing with at school, as well as increasing workload. When one particular member reached out in private and reported serious depressive symptoms, we felt we needed to have a bigger conversation to support members and that we needed the help of experts.

Sinéad Mc Brearty is CEO of Education Support, a charity founded in 1877 and dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of those working in education, through individual support, school-level initiatives and systemic advocacy. The charity’s mission is grounded in the belief that better wellbeing leads to enhanced educational outcomes and a more sustainable system.

Sinead very generously offered her expertise to us in a live webinar recently. We set out the key parts of the conversation below.

Supporting the education workforce

The charity provides a free, 24/7 counselling helpline (08000 562 561), financial help for educators facing hardship and professional supervision for school leaders, as well as evidence-based mental health and wellbeing resources on issues such as workplace bullying, sleep difficulties and emotional overeating.

Meanwhile, the charity’s annual teacher wellbeing index is used to advocate for policy changes, while it undertakes research on underexplored areas, such as the experiences of ethnic minority teachers, middle-leadership roles and teacher retention.

So, given the overview she has, we asked Sinéad how teachers’ mental health has evolved, especially since the Covid pandemic started. She reported that teacher wellbeing has plateaued at unsustainably high levels of distress; behavioural challenges among students, strained relationships with parents and community-wide economic pressures compound these challenges.

How, then, can teachers achieve work-life balance? While this is notoriously challenging in education, Sinéad suggested strategies such as “ruthless prioritisation”, setting boundaries and seeking support when needed. The charity emphasises the importance of leaders modelling healthy practices and cultivating collegiality among staff to build resilience and a shared sense of purpose.

Supervision model providing perspective

This last point linked in well with an initiative being offered for the supervision of school leaders: the charity is running a pilot in Edinburgh that may pave the way for broader implementation across Scotland.

The supervision model, adapted from healthcare professions, offers school leaders a reflective space to process their professional roles and challenges. It helps leaders regain perspective, address blind spots, and align with their core purpose. Participants report transformational effects, including improved leadership effectiveness and better staff relationships, and there can be a ripple effect on school culture and staff wellbeing.

If educators are hesitant to call a helpline, if they are anxious about reaching out, Sinéad advised viewing such support as a professional development tool - a neutral space for reflective inquiry, rather than necessarily a sign of crisis.

Here in our group, we hope that colleagues who feel overwhelmed right now can take reassurance from knowing that help is available.

Nuzhat Uthmani, Gemma Clark and Douglas Clark are the founders of Scottish Teachers for Positive Change and Wellbeing group, which can be found on Facebook

For the latest in Scottish education delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for Tes’ The Week in Scotland newsletter

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading with our special offer!

You’ve reached your limit of free articles this month.

$7.50
$6.50
/per month for 12 months
  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Save your favourite articles and gift them to your colleagues
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Over 200,000 archived articles
  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Save your favourite articles and gift them to your colleagues
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Over 200,000 archived articles

topics in this article

Recent
Most read
Most shared