Wellbeing and mental health at school :Guidelines for education policymakers

The “Guidelines for policymakers to address wellbeing and mental health at school” were developed by the Commission Expert Group on supportive learning environments for groups at risk of underachievement and for supporting wellbeing at school. They are based on the evidence-informed framework “A systemic, whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing in schools” and align with the logic and approach of the Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success, the EU Strategy on the rights of the child and other frameworks proposed by international organisations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) “Health-promoting schools and systems” implemented in association with United Nations Children's Fund, and UNESCO, the OECD’s “Education for inclusive societies” project and UNESCO’s “Happy Schools Framework”. The guidelines are also aligned with the principles within UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Council of Europe’s approach to wellbeing and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This document addresses education policymakers and offers a concise overview of the 11 recommendations. Its sister version addresses school leaders, teachers and educators. Both documents are complemented by a more in-depth version, addressing education policymakers, school leaders, teachers and educators, which contains more detailed recommendations, with supporting research evidence, good practice examples and practical tips on how to approach each recommendation.