We wrote in response to an article in The Guardian: Teacher’s ‘buckling under strain’ of pupils’ mental health crisis (March 11 2022).
We would echo Dr Haydn Williams’ call for substantial funding for mental wellbeing support in schools. And we couldn’t agree more with Peter Moore, that using art is the best way to deliver this support.
We are a small Oxford and London based charity working from a double decker bus art studio, in partnership with schools, to provide art as therapy to young people facing challenges. We are inundated with requests for help from Headteachers and educators, and simply cannot address the need we see on a daily basis solely through the fundraising efforts of the charity and schools themselves.
Future generations’ mental health and wellbeing should not be left to the charitable sector, private donors and hard-pressed school budgets. Mental health services are clearly struggling to address the legacy of the pandemic – something which has affected everyone, but our children and young people most.
We know using art therapeutically works; we see the demand from families, schools and students themselves every day and we need to reach as many children and young people as we can.
Our children and young people deserve this. AT The Bus