“The National Education Union (NEU) poll also revealed that two-thirds (68%) of secondary school teachers who responded are regularly encountering absenteeism linked to students’ mental ill-health.”

“Three-quarters (76%) are regularly seeing their students experiencing social difficulties, while the number of teachers complaining that their school does not have a counsellor has risen from 29% to 40% in just three years.”

“The rise in mental health problems among children and young people is well documented. A study published in the Lancet last year reported a 65% increase in annual hospital admissions between 2012-3 and 2021-2 for children and young people aged 5-18 with mental health concerns.”

“Increases were 'particularly steep' for eating disorders, rising from 478 to 2,938 over the same period – an increase of 515%.”

“Consultant paediatrician Dr Lee Hudson said eating disorders had become more common but the term covers a wide spectrum of conditions, not just anorexia.”

“He said young children can suffer from early anorexia or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (Arfid), characterised by limiting food type or quantity.”

“Almost half of teachers (48%) who responded to the poll said they regularly witnessed chronic anxiety among pupils, while almost a third (31%) saw students living with social isolation.”