Service information for school staff

All MHST WSA activities and interventions rely on a collaborative working approach for them to be effective for all stakeholders, with the school and service working together to plan and deliver our offer so that change and impact can be seen for all by all.

It is important that the young person who is referred for pour 1:1 offer acknowledges they have a difficulty and are motivated to talk and work on this. Their engagement is key to the support being successful.

The Senior Mental Health Lead should discuss this with the child or young person, explaining the role of the MHST and the practitioners who will be working with them before making a referral to the MHST Thought-Full.

If the Child or young person (and their parent or carer dependent on age) agrees, the Senior Mental Health Lead will need to complete the ‘Request for Support Form’.

During the intervention, children and young people explore and are taught new ways to manage their anxiety and low mood. It is really important that young people practice these new techniques in between sessions in order for them to be effective. With their permission we will share what we are doing so that you can help to reinforce the work in school.

Thought-Full can work with you to support you as a school to strengthen your Whole School Approach to mental health and emotional wellbeing. This could involve:

• We have developed a whole school approach to emotional wellbeing and mental health reflective tool. The tool is designed to be meaningful and easy to use to help you to identify what is already working well in school and areas that you would like to develop or enhance.

• Training and development for all school/college staff, in areas of emotional wellbeing and mental health.

• Peer group supervision for mental health leads to provide a safe supportive space to share practice and problem solve together.

• Promoting staff wellbeing – we offer a range of activities for schools including staff wellbeing sessions for staff, senior leadership team and governors, we can support with the setting up of working groups and identifying resources and signposting.

• Working with parents/carers, e.g. psychoeducational workshops, coffee mornings.

• Working with children and young people, e.g. psychoeducational workshops, assemblies or themed days linked to your curriculum offer.

• Student-led approaches and pupil voice, e.g. peer mentoring, co-production of resources, digital stories to gain autistic pupils’ voice as well as often unheard voices.

• Creating a safe and supportive ethos and environment in schools which respects diversity and inclusion, including supporting schools to support LGBTQ+ and BAME pupils.

• Promoting quality assured resources around emotional wellbeing and mental health.

• Explore the early signs of EBSA as in early intervention support service.