Data recently obtained by the Liberal Democrats under Freedom of Information highlighted high levels of stress-related sickness absence among teachers in England. The figures show that there were 3,750 teachers in England on long-term sick leave (one month or more) for stress and mental health reasons in 2016/17, up five per cent on the previous year. The high prevalence of stress and poor mental health in the education sector is hugely concerning, but unfortunately this didn’t come as a surprise to us at Mind, as it’s something we hear a lot.
Among the teaching profession, frequently cited causes of poor mental health at work that we hear anecdotally include long working hours, low pay, regular inspections and lack of interaction with colleagues. The job of a teacher is demanding in nature, so it is no surprise that some staff are burning out and needing time off as a result.
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