Embedding a Mental Health Support Team in the Educational Psychology service.

Sutton was part of one of the first trailblazers for mental health support teams in schools (MHSTs). Part of one of the five MHSTs in Sutton reports into Jo, providing a direct link with the educational psychology (EP) team thus being able to draw on the expertise and insight they can bring. 

Building on an already effective model, having this greater link with the EP team means that there are strong links with schools, SENCOs, Designated Safeguarding Leads and Headteachers. The EPs can support mental health workers in navigating the school environment and provide effective support to children and young people. Furthermore, they can provide links with other parts of the system such as speech and language therapists, behaviour team, pre-autism assessment team, the inclusion team, autism service and virtual school which ensures a joined-up approach to supporting children and their families. 

Although the remit of the team is quite limited, due to being commissioned as a team which includes higher level practitioners additional flexibilities are built in for the team to respond to areas of particular need such as providing support for parents and families. The team recognised that parental anxiety was having an impact on young people’s anxiety and have been able to provide targeted parent groups focused on addressing these needs. The team is also trying to work with schools to increase attendance, identifying how they can support young people in school, when there is thought to be an underlying mental health need contributing to non-attendance.

The teams also provide capacity that cannot be found in other services, thus being an essential part of the early intervention system for supporting children, young people and their families. Furthermore, the teams are able to creatively respond to the needs of young people through offering alternative therapeutic approaches. The team has also implemented parent workshops, particularly focused on parents with children in year 7 in response to a recognition of the difficulties that young people have when they transition from primary. A focus on parental support has enabled those parents to support their children more effectively, ultimately enabling them to better manage challenges and worries. 

The approach hasn’t been without its challenges with a recognition that the young people are presenting with levels of need that don’t necessarily fit into the pre-designed expectations of the MHST programme. Despite this, the team is looking to continue to build relationships with schools and provide support to families, highlighting the positive impact the teams can have, alongside sharing organisational learning of the value of having strong connections with the EP team. 

• It is effective to link new initiatives with existing teams and also LA services 
• The benefits of basing mental health support and family support within schools 
• There are challenges when teams are co-managed across different agencies – this can be a particular challenge with data and information sharing. 
• Having some flexibility when delivering services can help ensure they are effective 
• Consideration as to whether a service is totally free to access by schools when initial development is taking place.

• Maintaining open communication between the NHS and Cognus, the body commissioned and owned by Sutton Council which provides education services.  
• Being proactive and pragmatic when challenges arise 
• Understanding from the team on how to engage with schools at times when they are best able to engage – thinking about pressure points during the academic year 

Jo Suchy, Senior Educational Psychologist. Cognus (London Borough of Sutton) 

 [email protected]