Mental ill-health among young people is rising dramatically, with mainstream education struggling to keep up.
By 2030, mental disorders are projected to account for more than half of the economic burden of non-communicable diseases globally.
Sources: NHS Digital, YoungMinds, Centre for Mental Health, WHO Global Burden of Disease Study
Research from the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) and peer-reviewed studies demonstrates efficacy.
The .b programme (for adolescents) showed "promising evidence of acceptability and efficacy" with:
Sources: Mindfulness in Schools Project, PMC systematic reviews, Greater Good Science Center
Despite the evidence, there are critical gaps in how schools approach mental health and wellbeing.
Expressive arts and creativity are proven to reduce stress and build emotional resilience, yet this connection is rarely explored systematically in school curricula.
Neurodiverse students often benefit most from mindfulness and wellbeing interventions, but most programs are designed for neurotypical learners without appropriate adaptation or consideration of different cognitive styles.
There is significant unexplored territory in developing mindfulness approaches specifically designed for autistic, ADHD, and other neurodiverse students — approaches that work with their cognitive differences rather than against them.
This is where creativity, mental health, and neurodiversity intersect — an area ripe for research, innovation, and practical intervention in mainstream education.
Integrating mindfulness, creativity, and neurodiversity-informed practice into schools could transform how we support young people's mental health.
Early intervention through schools could reduce crisis referrals, improve academic outcomes, and give young people tools for lifelong mental wellbeing.
This is a 5-10 year vision — starting now through teacher training, research, and prototype workshops.