Developing the Mental Health Sensitive School Concept: Insights from focus group discussions

The ongoing war has exacerbated mental health challenges among students and educators in Ukraine, placing increased strain on the psychological support system within schools. While school-based psychological services have been integrated into Ukraine’s education system since 1993, they remain underfunded, understaffed, and structurally isolated from broader school policies and external healthcare services (also, with no clear focus on mental health). This study explores the development of a Mental Health-Sensitive School Concept (MHSS), which seeks to integrate mental health considerations into educational environments using a systemic and participatory approach. A qualitative research design was employed, using 12 FGDs with 205 participants across five Ukrainian regions. The participant pool included school administrators, teachers, psychologists, social pedagogues, and students. Discussions focused on mental health awareness, intervention feasibility, implementation barriers, and stakeholder roles. Thematic analysis was applied to synthesise key findings. Stakeholders strongly supported integrating mental health initiatives within school policies but highlighted critical challenges such as limited resources, staff burnout, stigma, and a lack of structured mental health training for teachers. Key thematic areas identified included mental health awareness and stigma reduction, school-based interventions, policy development, capacity-building, and adaptation to crisis contexts. The study emphasised the need for structured policy support, expanded psychological services, and improved teacher training to foster a sustainable and trauma-informed MHSS framework. The findings underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to embed mental health considerations into school environments. The study proposes a tiered intervention model encompassing mental health promotion, prevention, early psychological support, and structured referral mechanisms. Successful implementation will require policy endorsement, financial investment, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of the MHSS on student and educator well-being.