Mental health guidance for governors and trustees

About this resource

These resources from WSCA provide practical guidance for governors and trustees on supporting a whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

The guide explores the eight areas of a whole-school and college approach, focusing on what they mean for governors and trustees. Each area includes questions and practical tips to help governing boards consider their role in supporting their school or college. A one-page infographic summarises the key points and can be shared at board meetings.

The resources focus on the strategic role of governing boards, including how they can work with senior leaders and monitor progress over time. They are designed to be accessible without specialist knowledge of mental health and reflect current Department for Education and Ofsted priorities.

Using this resource

This resource is designed for: 

governors and trustees
senior leaders and leadership teams
school and college staff with responsibility for mental health and wellbeing.

Learning outcomes

This resource addresses the following learning outcomes:

Create a plan to develop, implement and sustain a whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing, tailored to their setting’s needs.
Put in place strategies to identify, understand and overcome resistance, and bring key stakeholders with them.
Sustain and continually improve the approach in their setting, working effectively with peers and support networks.
Monitor the impact of a whole-school or college approach in their setting.