How mental health is affected by the situation at home: a student's example

This week, while patrolling the corridor, I came across John (not his real name), crying all alone in the corridor. It is very unusual to find somebody outside the classroom during lesson time. I have been drumming into my year 9's that a forty minute lesson has to last forty minutes and they have to make the most of it. They are following this maxim to the hilt.

So, I was immediately concerned when I saw John all alone. I ushered him to my office and let him calm down. He took a glass of water which I offered and slowly, his crying subsided. When asked what happened, he said that there was nothing amiss. Everything was fine both at school and at home. He would not explain his sudden outburst of crying, which occurred when he was going back to his class after visiting the bathroom. He said that recently he started having these fits of crying. The latter comment started the bells ringing. He asked leave to go back to the lesson and I accompanied him there to show the teacher that he had been with me.

On my return to the office, I phone home. The person who answered was his grandmother, and when asked about John's well-being, a whole sad story tumbled out. John's mother had him when she was only 15 years old. She does not know who the father is. John also has a younger brother, also from an unknown father. The grandmother, a widow, is doing her utmost to bring up the two children well. 

However, she admitted that John was suffering mentally, possibly even from depression, as his mother was aggressive towards him and his brother. In addition, the mother left the siblings all alone while she went out partying in the weekends. All these things were affecting John badly. His grandmother added that in middle school, he had been followed by the college counsellor. I promised that I would do my utmost so that John benefits from this service in our school and hung up.

Next Wednesday, there is a scheduled a meeting with the college psycho-social team. John's name is going to top the list.