Using health and well-being data to support improvements in mental health in schools 

Welcome to the SHINE March 2026 Newsletter

• Visit to the Scottish Parliament: "Wake Up to Sleep" manifesto launch 
• Spotlight on SHINE Exhibition - call for members' contributions
• SHINE National Conference 2026 - full brochure 
• Education Scotland Curriculum Improvement Cycle: HWB Responsibility of All
• Local Authority Mental Health & Wellbeing Data collection 2026/27
• HBSC 2026 Invitation to schools to participate in the study
• Wider research opportunities for schools
  • Call for Scottish teachers to contribute to shaping a new mental health research project across the 4 UK nations - 1 or 2 volunteers required
  • RISE survey: Responses to Food Insecurity in School and Educational Environments - please complete the survey to contribute to this new research
• Happy Easter!

SHINE visit to the Scottish Parliament

Spotlight on SHINE Exhibition May 2026

Throughout the month of May, SHINE has been invited to exhibit the work of the network in the Byres Community Hub on Level 1 on the Clarice Pears Building in the School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. The Byres Community Hub is open to the public and holds regular exhibitions to bring the work of the School of Health and Wellbeing to the wider public audience.

We are delighted to be invited to showcase the work of SHINE and would like to include as many views and experiences of network members as possible. If you would like to leave a review for inclusion in the exhibition, please do so below. The review could be in relation to a specific aspect of the network, such as the events, resources, the monthly newsletter, the opportunities to network with other practitioners or the mental health survey, participation in a SHINE affiliated project or it could be a general reflection on what membership of SHINE means to your school.

Please submit your review by 23rd April for inclusion in the exhibition

SHINE Annual National Network Event 2026

Education Scotland Curriculum Improvement Cycle

As part of the evolving Curriculum Improvement Cycle, the Health and Wellbeing team at Education Scotland is seeking schools and settings interested in working with us to exemplify emerging thinking around Health and Wellbeing as a Responsibility of All, now articulated as Mental, Emotional, Social and Physical Wellbeing (MESP) as a Responsibility of All

Participating schools and settings will:

• receive an update on the current iteration of the work
• have the opportunity to discuss how they might contribute examples of practice
• help shape national understanding of what high‑quality Mental, Emotional, Social and Physical wellbeing (MESP) as a Responsibility of All looks like in action

This invitation is open to all sectors, and we welcome interest from any school or setting keen to explore how Mental, Emotional, Social and Physical wellbeing (MESP) as a Responsibility of All can be strengthened.

If you would like to note your interest or find out more, please contact cheryl.kremer@educationscotland.gov.scot

Local Authority mental health and wellbeing data collection 2026/27

HBSC study: last call for school participants

The HBSC team are still recruiting for the  HBSC 2026 survey! If you are interested in taking part, please contact the Project Manager at Judith.Brown@glasgow.ac.uk 

Each participating school will receive their own school HBSC report with aggregate data (subject to minimum pupil number requirements) to help inform health improvement planning. Schools that have received their survey packs should complete the survey by the end of March (but do let us know if you need an extension). For any new schools wishing to take part, we are able to offer data collection in the summer term.

The HBSC survey has provided reliable, national HWB data results to practitioners working with young people since the1990's; covering key topics such as physical activity, social media use and gaming, bullying, sleep, vaping and mental health.

Thanks to schools' participation over the last 40 years, young people's voices have helped to shape policy, leading to real-world impact by reducing health inequalities and driving health improvements. See below an example of how HBSC data are used to monitor and provide evidence of trends:

Wider Research Opportunities for Schools

Call for Scottish teachers to contribute to shaping a new mental health research project across the 4 UK nations

SHINE, working with research partners at Bangor University, the University of Birmingham, University of Glasgow, Cardiff University, and Ulster University, is developing a grant proposal on mental health support in UK secondary schools. We want to understand how schools' needs, resources, and stakeholders interact to deliver effective support for students, while identifying gaps, challenges, and suggest solutions.

To shape this work, we’d value your insight. Scottish voices are especially important, as schools here operate in a unique education system with distinct wellbeing policies and priorities. Your experiences will ensure our recommendations fit real school life and work across the UK.

We’re inviting you to a short online meeting with 10 participants from the 4 UK nations where parents, carers, teachers and Health Practitioners will come together to help us shape the project. 

In the session, together, we’ll:

• Sense-check our ideas and planned work packages
• Discuss what feels relevant, realistic, and useful in your context
• Identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities
• Co-create practical recommendations from real-life experience

Your experience is important to us; your input will directly influence the project design and help it genuinely support learners. 

Benefits for you:

• Parents/carers: Share your child’s school experiences and what support makes a difference. Get project info, have your voice heard, and shape family-focused work.
• Practitioners: Counts as professional development, reflect on school mental health needs, network, and contribute to practical guidance/resources.
• Schools: Gain insights on tailored strategies, future resources/guidance, and evidence-based wellbeing policy improvements.

Meeting details:

• Duration: 1 hour only
• Format: Online via Teams
• Prep: None needed, just bring lived experiences!
• Thanks: £27.50 shopping voucher + certificate of attendance per participant
• Privacy: Not recorded; all input anonymized for proposal refinement only

If you’re interested or have questions, please contact z.jorjoranshushtari@bangor.ac.uk  and we’ll share full details. Thank you, we hope you’ll join us!

Click HERE to take part Or RISE PROJECT!
Questions? Contact Ellie Ansell at ema440@student.bham.ac.uk

All the best,

The SHINE Team

Dawn Haughton
Schools Health and Wellbeing Improvement Research Network (SHINE) Manager

E-mail:  Dawn.Haughton@glasgow.ac.uk
Web:      www.gla.ac.uk/shine
Twitter: @ScotlandSHINE