Mental health and wellbeing surveys

The 2026 AoC Student and Staff Mental Health reports present the latest picture of the evolving landscape of mental health and wellbeing across further education colleges. Together, they highlight the continued commitment of colleges to supporting both learners and staff with care, innovation and resilience. However, they also underscore the growing pressures faced across the sector and the need for sustained external support and investment to ensure meaningful, long-term impact.

Drawing on findings from AoC’s 2026 mental health surveys, the reports provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges experienced by students and staff, alongside the approaches colleges are adopting to respond. They offer valuable insight and benchmarking data to inform AoC members and key stakeholders, supporting ongoing development of effective mental health and wellbeing strategies across further education.

The reports explore a range of themes, including:

• student mental health presentation and support needs
• staff mental health and wellbeing
• access to counselling and therapeutic interventions
• external mental health services and partnerships
• data collection, usage and reporting (students and staff)
• student transitions, retention and support
• staff development and workplace wellbeing initiatives
• institutional strategy, leadership and investment in mental health.