New ESRI research highlights importance of school culture, relationships and belonging in fostering students’ emotional and social wellbeing

New research, Supporting Student Wellbeing in School Contexts: A Narrative Review, to be published tomorrow (20 January 2026) by the ESRI, and funded by Department of Education and Youth’s National Educational Psychological Service, finds that significant strides in Irish educational policy and practice related to student wellbeing have been achieved. The report explores how wellbeing and mental health is being promoted and monitored in school contexts in Ireland and internationally. The report also highlights the importance of school culture, relationships and belonging in fostering students’ emotional and social wellbeing. 

This review is the literature review forming part of a three-phase review of the Department of Education and Youth Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice (2018–2025).    

A broad range of literature was examined, including quantitative and qualitative empirical articles, policy reports, government agency documents and publications from international organisations (e.g., UNESCO, OECD).

Key findings: 

•    Culture, relationships and belonging are central to promoting wellbeing in schools. There should be a greater emphasis on equity, inclusion and diversity to address the reduced belonging reported by marginalised student groups.

•    Irish schools, particularly at the primary level, foster and support the foundation for students’ wellbeing, through physical activity, arts and play, and nutrition. These need to be continually prioritised, and the necessary infrastructure and resources provided.

•    Policy needs to distinguish between supports for student wellbeing and targeted support for complex mental health needs and difficulties. Emphasis should be placed on understanding the needs of marginalised students and students with complex special educational needs.

•    Children and young people should be involved in a meaningful way in the development and delivery of school- and class-based mental health and wellbeing support at government, agency (e.g., Oide, NCSE, Jigsaw), regional and school levels.

•    Mental health supports and services should be embedded in school settings, where appropriate. This could support teachers in identifying students requiring additional supports and addressing complex needs.

•    Content on wellbeing and mental health should be increased in teacher training and professional learning to promote teacher self-efficacy and mental health literacy. Resources should be consolidated and available for schools, and all programmes should be evaluated to ensure they meet the needs of students.

•    Schools should be provided with more comprehensive guidance on measuring and monitoring student wellbeing. This guidance should emphasise clear goals for data collection and the use of robust, comparable tools to measure both student wellbeing and mental health.  Students should be involved in the design and approach, as well as how the data shape decisions. 

•    Working with universities, research institutes and health services can greatly support schools in measuring and monitoring student wellbeing by enhancing the quality of data collected and how they are used.

Dr Caoimhe Dempsey, report author, commented: “Schools are on the frontline of youth mental health and wellbeing. Policy should clearly separate universal wellbeing initiatives from targeted interventions for students with complex mental health needs. Additionally, the education system must strengthen teacher mental health literacy and guarantee access to external supports.”

Anne Tansey, Director of the National Educational Psychological Service in the Department of Education and Youth, commented “The department welcomes the ESRI’s narrative review on Supporting Student Wellbeing in School Contexts and believes that its publication is both informative and timely, as we engage with our stakeholders in developing a new and updated wellbeing policy and implementation plan that will shape wellbeing in our schools in the years to come.”