Safeguarding teachers’ mental health through the second wave of COVID-19 and beyond - Submission to The House of Commons Standing Committee on Health - December 7, 2020

Oct 15, 2026

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Safeguarding teachers’ mental health through the second wave of COVID-19 and beyond presents conditions and policy recommendations for Canadian public education teachers as the pandemic intensifies pre-existing workplace stress. Drawing on pre- and post-COVID research, it explains how institutional, organizational, cultural, and interpersonal factors leave many educators emotionally, physically, ethically, and professionally compromised. The brief reviews survey findings on widespread concern and burnout drivers, including disrespect, intensifying workload, and insufficient student supports.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Teachers’ Mental Health: An epidemic of its own?

Pre-pandemic context and global comparisons

BCTF 2017 survey: prevalence and contributing factors

Focus group themes (sources of distress)

Safeguarding teachers’ mental health through the second wave of COVID-19 and beyond Submission to The House of Commons Standing Committee on Health December 7, 2020 BC Teachers’ Federation [bctf.ca/BriefsAndPositionPapers.aspx](bctf.ca/BriefsAndPositionPapers.aspx) Safeguarding teachers’mental health through the second wave of COVID-19 and beyond Introduction Among the social issues exposed by COVID-19, the mental health concerns of Canada’s teachers have intensified. A recent national survey conducted by the Canadian Teachers’Federation in October 20201 found almost 70% of respondents were concerned about their mental health and well-being seven months into this national public health emergency. However, as seen in research from BC, mental health concerns among teachers are not new. Research conducted by the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) in 2017–18, well before the COVID pandemic, indicated widespread stress, weariness, and burnout related to workload, inadequate student and classroom supports, and a strong perception of disrespect for teacher work within governmental and public contexts. COVID-19 has not only precipitated new demands on teachers, but also magnified pre-existing fissures in underfunded, under-resourced and undermaintained schools. This brief outlines current conditions and policy recommendations to generate stronger mental health supports for Canadian public education teachers through the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on both pre-and post-COVID outbreak research, it illustrates how the mental health of public school teachers during COVID-19’s second wave will be affected by a complex matrix of institutional, organizational, cultural, and interpersonal factors. These factors have left a significant portion of BC’s public school teachers feeling emotionally, physically, ethically, and professionally compromised. Teachers’ Mental Health: An epidemic of its own? Prior to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of teachers’mental health was an increasing focus for educational policy makers and researchers. Teaching is a demanding job at the best of times. Research shows that, globally, teachers experience more stress, burnout, and depression compared to other professions and that teachers experience higher levels of stress than the average population, and comparable to other care-giving and client-oriented professions such as physicians and nurses.2 School systems around the world are confronting 1 The Teacher Mental Health Check-in Survey ([https://www.ctf-fce.ca/canadian-teachers-experiencing-a](https://www.ctf-fce.ca/canadian-teachers-experiencing-a)mental-health-crisis) conducted by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, received nearly 14,000 responses. 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 over 300,000 elementary and secondary school teachers across Canada. 2 Martin, Dolmage & Sharpe (2012) . Seeking wellness: Descriptive findings from the survey of the work life and health of teachers in Regina and Saskatoon; Marko, K.A. (2015). Hearing the unheard voices: An in-depth look at teacher mental health and wellness; Kinman, G., Wray, S. & Strange, C. (2011) Emotional labour, burnout and job satisfaction in UK teachers: the role of workplace social support. Educational Psychology, 31(7), 843-856; Weldon, P. & Ingvarson, L. (2016) . School Staff Workload Study: Final Report to the Australian Education Union Victorian Branch. Camberwell, Australia: The Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd.; a shortage of qualified teachers, while losing experienced mid-career teachers. Mental distress is one of the primary reasons for lost work days, long term disability claims, and professional attrition—with teachers either moving schools or leaving teaching practice altogether. In 2017, the BCTF conducted a survey on te

FAQs

What does the brief focus on regarding teachers’ mental health during COVID-19?

It focuses on current conditions and policy recommendations to strengthen mental health supports for Canadian public education teachers through the second wave of the pandemic.

Which factors are identified as major contributors to teacher mental distress?

Contributing factors include a perceived climate of disrespect, challenging working conditions with workload intensification, and inadequate student support services.

What did the BCTF 2017–18 research find about teachers’ experiences?

It reported widespread stress, emotional exhaustion, weariness, and significant levels of burnout, with many teachers seriously considering leaving teaching.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mia