Many colleges fail to cater for people with mental health problems

Less than two thirds of further education colleges have special
services for people with a mental health problem, it has been
revealed, writes Katie Leason.

Of 153 further education colleges, just 93 said they had
targeted provision for people diagnosed with a mental health
problem while 36 out of 53 local education authorities did so.

Providers tended to be less aware of the national service
framework for mental health than the Disability Discrimination Act.
Just over four in 10 further education colleges and a third of
local education authorities said they were aware of the NSF,
standard one of which addresses mental health promotion.

The majority of both further education colleges and local
education authorities said that learning services for adults
diagnosed with a mental health problem could be made more effective
by closer partnership working with other agencies.

Providers said they would like to work more closely with social
services, mental health services, and primary care trusts in the
report by the National Institute of Mental Health in England and
the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.

‘Access to Adult Education for People Diagnosed with Mental Health
Problems’