DfE axes outspoken schools mental health tsar

Devon was appointed as schools mental health champion by the Department for Education (DfE) in August last year with a remit of raising awareness of mental health among young people.

However the DfE confirmed yesterday that she has been removed from her post so that a new cross-departmental mental health champion, who will also work with the Department of Health, can be appointed.

Critics have linked her departure to criticisms she has made of the government’s policy on testing five-year-olds in schools, compulsory PSHE and peer mentoring.

In a piece she wrote for TES, Devon said the department is now looking for someone “who is a bit less high maintenance".

In an interview with CYP Now earlier this year, Devon said she was “bulldozing" her way through the DfE, adding that the fact she was not paid for her role allowed her to be impartial.

Devon has claimed that the new role, which will work across the DfE and Department of Health, will be paid. There are concerns in the sector that this could mean the role becomes less independent of government.  

Paula Lavis, coalition co-ordinator and policy lead at the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, said it is “very concerning” that the government has axed Devon’s post, and claimed the nature of the new role will make it more difficult for the incumbent to speak out against government policy.  

“The fact that it was an unpaid post gave her [Devon] greater freedom to speak openly about what the issues are, and really be a champion for children and young people,” Lavis said.

“It is interesting that the government are appointing a new-cross government champion. From what I gather this is a paid post, which will potentially make it difficult for that post to speak openly about their concerns.

“Natasha did a great job of championing children and young people’s mental health, and I’m sure she will continue to do this regardless.”

Pooky Knightsmith, director of children, young people and schools programme at The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, and someone who has worked closely with Devon, said the new role must be independent of government.

“It would be wrong for someone with the wellbeing of children and young people at the heart of what they did, not to speak out if they were to disagree with current government policy,” she said.

“Devon has never bowed down to the voices above her and has always stuck with what she believes to be the right things to say and do to promote the wellbeing of young people. There is a need for people to have a voice and share an opinion.

She added that she is in favour of a cross-departmental role.

“Bringing health and education together, in my opinion, does make perfect sense. Whether that was the true motivation for removing [Devon’s] role, I don’t know. I do think the new role is one that looks really sensible, if they can find the right person.”

A DfE spokeswoman said: “Natasha has done a great job of helping us to raise the profile of young people’s mental health since her appointment last year.

“Since that time, the independent NHS Taskforce report has been published which recommended that a cross-government mental health champion be created – for this reason we have had to reconsider the department’s own role.

“We have asked Natasha and others who have been involved in our work to empower schools and young people to promote good mental health, to continue to work with us as we prepare to launch our activity later this year.”