The Mental Health Support Team 

What are the Mental Health Support Teams?

Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) have been created to offer early intervention, low intensity, mental health support within schools for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties. 

The MHST will also offer support and advice to education setting staff to identify the most appropriate services for their need and help liaise with other appropriate services.

The purpose of the MHST is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people and is driven by the Green Paper ‘Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision’ (www.gov.uk)

What are Educational Mental Health Practitioners? 

Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) are part of the government’s MHST plans for schools to provide mental health early intervention support for children and young people. EMHPs are currently training at Northampton University and will be at University 2 days a week whilst working 3 days a week in schools to gain qualification and experience. This phase is the ‘trainee phase’. During this time, they will build up their experience through individual, group and whole school work with pupils, families and staff.

What can the MHST support with?

There are many things the MHST can help with, where needs are more complex, they may need to refer a young person onto another team or service that is better placed to help. 

The below table shows the types of presentations MHST can help with, things they may be able to help with (with discretion and under close supervision), and things they won’t be able to help with.