Nov 25, 2021, Belfast Telegram: Pupils want to be heard over mental health issues https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/pupils-want-to-be-heard-over-mental-health-issues-41086965.html
Pupils should be allowed to access mental health support in schools in private and confidentially, according to young people taking part in the first of a series of Have Your Say Days.
Young people at the event organised by the Northern Ireland Youth Forum (NIYF), held to coincide with UN World Children’s Day, felt that counselling services should take place outside class time.
They have also called for school uniforms to be changed to reflect an increasingly diverse Northern Ireland.
NIYF Vice Chairperson Nicole Parkinson-Kelly said it was incredibly important that any changes to mental health support services were approved by young people…..
"School mental health champions could pave the way with this work and create safe spaces and methods for feedback from pupils to ensure the services offered are meeting the needs of young people.”
Other topics under discussion included the need to change rigid rules on uniforms, the curriculum, special educational needs assessment, equality of opportunity, careers, and teacher training.nnn
The young people called for school uniforms to be changed to reflect an increasingly diverse Northern Ireland.
