Scotland's teachers stressed and depressed

Scotland's teachers stressed and depressed

The Herald reports that new figures reveal that Scotland's teachers are crippled by stress and depression and are taking up to six times the UK average in sick leave due to psychological ill-health.

A survey of state school staff shows that all but one of the 23 local authorities who supplied sickness statistics reported alarming rates of stress, anxiety and depression higher than the UK average.

Official government statistics state the average number of working days lost due to depression and stress-related illness as 0.6 per worker per year.

But newly released figures obtained through Freedom of Information legislation reveal a mental health crisis among teachers in Scotland with an average of over three times this rate, while some councils reported levels of over six times higher.

Scots teachers taking more time off work with stress (The Herald, 3 August 2008)