Improving Mental Health and Low Self Esteems for Students Suffering From Learning Disabilities, Poor Learning Absorption, ADHD and Autistic-Related Learning Difficulties

Schools have enormous potential to improve the lives of young people and help them negotiate the many challenges of childhood and adolescence. Most young people come through relatively unscathed with the ‘usual’ challenges associated with this stage of development. Others however, have a much more complex set of factors impacting on their cognitive, emotional and social development.

This paper examines how additional ‘layers of complexity’ impact on young people’s mental health; ways in which school-based professionals can ensure they are more cognisant of these factors; and evidence-based strategies that will assist schools to improve student engagement and wellbeing.