Mental Health and Social and Emotional Learning: Evidence, Principles, Tensions, Balances

TLDR: In this article, the authors give an overview of current evidence, practice and driving principles in mental health promotion and social and emotional education in schools, and explore some tensions, balances and debates in the field.

Abstract: This paper gives an overview of current evidence, practice and driving principles in mental health promotion and social and emotional education in schools, and explores some tensions, balances and debates in the field. It examines the evidence base for such work in terms of its impacts on learning, behaviour and mental and emotional well-being. It suggests some key sources of evidence and so-called ‘good practice’ world-wide. It outlines some principles to be derived from this growing practical experience which are rapidly becoming the new orthodoxy, in theory if not in practice. The principles include the need to base practice on sound theory, research and evaluation, implement consistently, take a whole-school approach, ensure explicit learning of skills, balance universal and targeted approaches, encourage teamwork between the appropriate agencies including parents and students, support staff development and encourage autonomy rather than compliance. It suggests that there is a current lively debate on...