The Multi-Agency Mental Health and Education Triage (MAMHET) identifies any child or group of children who might be at risk of dying by suicide. They ensure children receive appropriate support to keep them safe.
The following education settings can refer to MAMHET:
- mainstream secondary schools
- mainstream primary school - year 6 students transitioning to mainstream secondary school
- West Sussex Alternative Provision Colleges (WSAPC)
- further education colleges
The settings can refer a child or young person can be to MAMHET even if they don’t have an allocated social worker. Speak to the designated safeguarding lead in school about how to make a referral.
What is the MAMHET?
MAMHET are a panel of different professionals supporting discussions about children identified as:
- being at risk of dying by suicide.
- experiencing poor mental health, with significant concerns
The panel considers experiences that may have impacted a child’s mental health. This includes any current or past risk factors associated with a young person’s possible risk of dying by suicide. Through the MAMHET, we make a joint plan to safeguard that child. These discussions are chaired by Horizon Suicide Prevention.
The MAMHET Partners are:
- West Sussex Children’s Social Care
- West Sussex Early Help
- Sussex Police
- CAMHS Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Youth Emotional Support Service (YES)
- YMCA Dialogue
- Thought-Full (West Sussex mental health in schools team)
Principles of the MAMHET are to:
- keep children at the centre of discussions
- work together to reduce the risk of suicide and save children’s lives
- make sure that those working with children and families work together
- appropriately share information to keep children safe
- promote positive mental health and give hope that suicide prevention is possible
Confidentiality and information sharing for parents
We ask that parents, carers and guardians give agreement to schools for them to refer to MAMHET and that schools share the discussions with them.
We keep minutes of the discussion on West Sussex County Council's children’s database, and the NHS Electronic Patient Recording System held by Sussex NHS Partnership Foundation Trust. This is to make sure we have a record of any actions and that those working with your child understand any worries. Every partner in MAMHET ensures the child’s data is safe by working to their agency's data and confidentiality policies.
Operation Moonlight – Sussex Police Operation
Operation (Op) Moonlight is a Sussex Police response to a child who is suicidal, when there are significant worries for their safety.
An Op Moonlight flag alerts the emergency call taker that a child may need additional support or resources.
The police may ask schools to provide a photo of a child to add to their systems. This helps police officers to find missing children.