Mental Health and Faith In Schools

For many young people faith and spirituality, or a lack of, are a significant aspect of their identity. This is particularly true for Global Majority children who are often initiated into a faith from infancy through a religious ceremony, practice or event. This belief often continues to be significant throughout their childhood due to attendance to places of worship and participation in religious festivals, practices and customs that underpin their development of morals, empathy and resilience. This is often a crucial aspect of personal development as they navigate personal decisions and choices based upon their acceptance or rejection of religious values, principles and traditions.

Yet when discussing mental health issues many mental health professionals believe that faith and mental health are at a juxtaposition, therefore, any interventions or support should remain secular. Arguments for this include religious stigma regarding mental, the denial of some religious groups that mental health exists, and the ideas of some students being directly opposed with their faith causing conflict and distress. Therefore, bringing religion into mental health support risks alienating young people in need of support.  

However, there is a strong counter argument that faith can be beneficial to young people in crisis as it can offer answers to questions, provide a source of comfort or present practical solutions through religious texts, stories, and observances. The mental health charity, MIND highlights the importance of faith and mental health, as a significant contributing factor during recovery from Mental health conditions and supporting wellbeing. Also, a toolkit produced by HHS suggests belonging to a faith community provides connectedness through a “sense of being cared for, supported, and belonging,” (1.HHS).

With an escalating crisis in mental health provision, especially for Global Majority children, having a sense of belonging is crucial for wellbeing therefore schools should create spaces where the significance of intersectionality is recognised and understood. This can be achieved by SMHL leads beginning to consider if including faith concepts as a support mechanism would be beneficial for some students in their schools? Would an exploration of religious belief and how it shapes thinking and behaviour support some student in crisis? Would having a faith to lean into for comfort for some students provide a sense of relief? Would the reference to a God or deity help bring hope to a student during tough times of their life? For example, the Bible depicts many characters who suffered depression and anxiety as an acknowledgement of mental distress, also the Buddha used meditation as a strategy to alleviate suffering.

Over the last year I’ve contributed to a project that has created spaces for Global majority children to discuss issues of mental health, race and faith in school. Those attending have flourished mainly due to connectedness with staff and peers who they feel recognise and understand the importance of faith in their lives. Whilst this may not suit all students, equitable practices relies upon providing for the needs of the child, which in some cases requires just a little bit of faith!

Resources

1. Youth Mental Health and Well-being in Fath and Community Settings: Practicing Connectedness A Toolkit of the HHS Partnership Center
2. Mental health advice for young Muslims | YoungMinds
3. Shine your light project - christiansunitedbirmingham@gmail.com