Teachers’ mental health ‘crisis’ prompts call for suicide prevention strategy

The unanimously carried motion warned of a ‘rise in suicide, suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts’ among teachers. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

All school leaders should receive suicide prevention training to help tackle a “mental health emergency” among teachers, under a plan unanimously backed by a vote by union members.

A workforce survey of members of the NASUWT teaching union found that some teachers had been driven to the point of suicide by the stress of the job.