TEACHERS reporting primary school children with eating disorders backed a windfall social media tax to fund for their spiralling mental health service needs today.

A survey of 9,793 National Education Union (NEU) teacher members found 45 per cent of primary school teachers are seeing students with eating disorders at least “occasionally.”

The figure rises to 78 per cent in secondaries, where 68 per cent of teachers also “regularly” see absenteeism due to student mental ill-health, according findings released at the union’s annual conference.

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “Teachers are crying out for nurses, mental health leads, and quicker access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) support in schools. The majority tell us they have none of these. 

“The government should levy a windfall tax on the social media giants to pay for adequate mental health services for young people.

“Schools are unable to keep pace with the obvious acceleration in the levels of mental health support needed by young people.

“Demand clearly outstrips the available resources.”

More than four in 10 teachers in special schools or pupil referral units (PRUs) say self-harm is “regularly” seen — up from 34 per cent from the survey last year. 

It is also more likely to be “occasionally” observed in primaries (44 per cent) and secondaries (62 per cent).

Three quarters of respondents regularly saw their students experiencing social difficulties, with exam anxiety seen by 99 per cent of teachers in secondary schools. 

“The government should also reflect on its role in ensuring that the curriculum is broad and engaging,” said Mr Kebede.

“Operating schools as if they are exam factories drives young people to disengage, to give up on their learning or feel anxious.

“Teachers are very frustrated that the current curriculum is not fit for purpose.”

One teacher respondent said: “Students can’t cope with the stress, I have never seen more illness, tears, anxiety, withdrawal as I am seeing now.

“There is too much on their shoulders and no support, far too many exams, mocks, deadlines that are unachievable.”

Educators reporting their school does not have a counsellor has also risen from 29 per cent to 40 per cent in just three years, with just one five teachers saying their existing in-school mental health support was sufficient.