Media Advisory - National Virtual Press Conference on Canadian Teacher Mental Health

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 25, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF/FCE) is holding a virtual press conference on Thursday, November 26 at 1:00 pm EST to release the findings of a national pandemic survey on the increasing issue of teacher mental health and well-being.

The CTF/FCE mental health check-in survey was conducted in English and French from October 16-25, 2020. Distributed through provincial and territorial Member Organizations, the survey received close to 14,000 responses. Teachers currently teaching completed the survey. This survey followed the CTF/FCE's pandemic research study completed in June 2020, which received over 15,000 responses over a two-week period.

Notable findings

• 46% of teachers are very stressed, struggling to cope, and increasingly feeling unhappy.
• Upholding basic levels of daily physical health has become increasingly difficult for teachers.
• There is a need for multiple layers of support - at the school, from the board, and from the Ministry, to listen to, recognize, and respond to the very real issues teachers, education workers, and their students are facing in this time of pandemic with meaningful changes to mitigate the effects of increased work-load and worries about the health and safety of their students, colleagues, and themselves.

The survey included 10 closed-ended questions on mental health and well-being, and included baseline questions on teachers' current mental state and stress levels, Likert scales on emotional and physical well-being, and comparative longitudinal questions.

To join the press conference:
Journalists are invited to contact Lynne Parisien before 11:00 am on November 26 to register. Upon confirmation of interest, journalists will receive login and password information to attend the event via Zoom, the complete survey report and province and territorial notable findings.

The Canadian Teachers' Federation
Founded in 1920, the Canadian Teachers' Federation is the national voice for the teaching profession. As the national alliance of provincial and territorial teacher organizations, the CTF/FCE represents 18 Member Organizations and over 300,000 elementary and secondary school teachers across Canada. 

SOURCE Canadian Teachers' Federation