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NICE Underpinning Review
"The review aimed to answer the following questions:
1. What universal classroom-based interventions to promote social, emotional and mental wellbeing in children in primary education are effective and cost effective?
2. What universal classroom-based interventions to promote social, emotional and mental wellbeing in children in secondary education are effective and cost effective?"
The authors state:
"The committee agreed that several factors may have impacted on this, for example the usual practice control may be an effective intervention, or the relatively short-term follow-up (less than 12 months) of an intervention designed to show a benefit over 10 years or longer. This is an important consideration as many of these interventions aim to develop social and emotional skills and what has been learnt may not be needed or demonstrated in the time frame of these studies. However, the committee agreed that no study showed a negative outcome in the shorter-term and they concluded that this was an important consideration given the potential for the long-term impact of these interventions.
The committee also discussed the potential for iatrogenic harm arising from all interventions. They noted that the primary responsibility of all adults working with children and young people is to mitigate harm and that any intervention that is introduced into a school or college should be carefully assessed and reviewed. One intervention (Uplifting our Health and Wellbeing) was noted to increase anxiety. Additionally, the committee noted that implementation of new interventions also come with opportunity costs, as it removes the prospect of implementing other potentially more effective interventions.
This evidence review supports recommendations 1.2.1 to 1.2.7."