Description

This debate, hosted by Professor Umar Toseeb, brings together five leading experts – Dr Lucy Foulkes, Dr Jack Andrews, Dr Bronwyné Coetzee, Dr Louise Birrell, and Dr Emma Carter – to critically examine the future of universal school-based mental health interventions. Prompted by a series of articles published in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health journal, the discussion explores whether these interventions are effective, feasible, and ethical in their current form.

Learning Objectives

A. To evaluate the current evidence on the effectiveness and potential harms of universal school-based mental health interventions.

B. To compare different perspectives on whether to adapt, abandon, or reimagine universal approaches across diverse educational and cultural contexts.

C. To understand the role of student voice, implementation challenges, and equity considerations in shaping the future direction of school-based mental health initiatives.

Related Content Links

Mental health interventions in schools

Paper Link

https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14753588/2025/30/1