Delhi Parents Call for Mandatory Mental Health Training in Schools as Survey Shows
A survey across Delhi-NCR schools finds every parent supports crisis-response training for all school staff, highlighting growing concern over rising student mental health risks.
A recent study conducted across several premium schools in Delhi-NCR has revealed unanimous support among parents for mandatory mental health training for all school staff. The findings highlight growing concern about student well-being and suggest that families want schools to be better equipped to respond to emotional distress.
Researchers asked parents whether every adult in a school environment, including teachers, sports coaches, and activity supervisors, should be trained to recognise and respond to student mental health crises. Instead of mixed reactions, the study recorded complete agreement.
Every parent surveyed supported the idea that all staff members should receive suicide prevention and crisis-response training.
The findings come amid rising concern about student suicides in India. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau, 13,892 students died by suicide in 2023. That equates to roughly one student every hour. The number has increased by about 65 percent over the past decade.
The Challenge of the Single Counsellor Model
For years, many schools have relied on what experts describe as the single counsellor model, where one trained professional is responsible for hundreds of students.
A structural analysis by My Safe Spaces identifies a major weakness in this approach, described as the Contact Hours Paradox. According to the organisation, students have limited interaction time with counsellors compared to the hours they spend with teachers and other staff members.
Internal data referenced in the My Safe Spaces Discovery Report indicates that a student in distress may have only around 50 minutes of contact with a counsellor in a year. In contrast, students spend about 1,000 hours annually with teachers, coaches, and activity supervisors who are often the first to notice behavioural changes.
"The question parents kept asking was simple. If my child is struggling, who in that building will know what to look for?" Jerome notes.
Founder Hubert Jerome explains that traditional wellness approaches have often been reactive and dependent on a single supportive individual within the school. Without a broader system, the support structure can weaken if that person is unavailable.
A Framework to Strengthen School Preparedness
To address these gaps, My Safe Spaces has introduced the SWISS framework, which stands for Student Wellbeing and Institutional Safety Standards. The model focuses on building a structured system that prepares schools to respond to mental health challenges.
The framework includes five key elements: gatekeeper certification for all staff members, quarterly training sessions to reinforce skills, written protocols for crises, the formation of an internal wellness council, and annual simulation exercises to test preparedness.
The certification program is accredited by the CPD Standards Office UK (Provider #50828), aligning it with international professional development standards.
The initiative has also gained institutional support. The Association of International Schools of India has entered a partnership with My Safe Spaces to introduce the certification to its member schools.
The organisation launched its institutional certification program in 2026 with the aim of reaching more than one million students in its first year. The research suggests that parents increasingly want schools to demonstrate clear and credible systems for student safety rather than rely solely on traditional counselling structures.
(This copy has been produced by the Infotainment Desk)
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