What are the Rise Mental Health in Schools Team (MHSTs)

MHSTs are sometimes also called Mental Health Support Teams.

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The Mental Health in Schools Team is an NHS service that has been introduced as part of the national plans to expand mental health services for children, young people and their families within the education setting.

Working across Coventry and Warwickshire, we are here to provide mental health interventions, advice, and liaison with specialist services to help children and young people get the right support. We work closely with schools to develop their ‘whole school and college approach’ to mental health and wellbeing.

We support young people who are experiencing low mood and a range of anxiety difficulties.

We are currently based in schools in South Warwickshire, Coventry, Rugby and North Warwickshire

The team consists of qualified and trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs), Senior Educational Mental Health Practitioners, Specialist Mental Health Practitioners, Team Leaders, a Service Manager and Clinical Lead.

Between us we have a wealth of experience supporting children and young people with their mental health.

The Mental Health in Schools Team strives to provide a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ children and young people and their families.

Our service provides mental health interventions and support for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

 

 

 

 

 

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How can the Mental Health in Schools Team help children and young people?

The MHST’s focus is to positively impact young people’s mental health and wellbeing. We aim to do this by:

Using evidence-based CBT treatment approaches for anxiety and low mood. This can be done in group or 1:1 settings, either face to face or virtually. This means that we can continue to work with young people during school holidays.

We work closely with each school’s identified Mental Health Leads (a senior member of school staff who has received specific training to take on this role) to support individual referrals and to complete regular audits of the school’s mental health needs.

·We support each school in developing and maintaining a ‘whole school and college approach’. 

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What is the Whole School and College Approach?

We work collaboratively with schools to deliver a ‘whole school and college approach’ which involves all parts of the school community working together to improve mental wellbeing.

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MHSTs support the whole school and college approach in several ways: delivering assemblies, classroom-based sessions and workshops in schools covering a range of topics (mental health awareness, creating calm, building emotional awareness, mood boost and sleep hygiene).

The Whole School and College Approach is based around these 8 principles (Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Leadership and management that supports and champions efforts to promote emotional health and wellbeing principles in no particular order: an ethos and environment that promotes respect and values diversity; curriculum, teaching and learning to promote resilience and support social and emotional learning; enabling student voice to influence decisions; staff development to support their own wellbeing and that of students; identifying and monitoring impact of interventions; working with parents/carers; targeted support and appropriate referral.

We also support schools to develop mentally healthy environments through staff training, support and policy development . Our team conduct school ‘needs assessments’ or audits in collaboration with Mental Health Leads to create an action plan to address identified needs throughout the school year.

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a treatment approach which looks at the difficulties a young person is experiencing through an understanding of the links between how we think, feel and behave (what we do).

Understanding how these links affect the problem for the young person is important.  CBT helps the young person to develop a toolbox of strategies and learn new ways of coping with difficult situations.

It is a collaborative approach, which means that young people are an active part of their therapy and will regularly take ideas or strategies from their sessions and practice them or test them out at home and at school.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a widely used approach in Mental Health. For further information, please see link below.

MHST are able to offer both high and low intensity CBT.

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/

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What does low intensity mean?

Low intensity means treatment that uses fewer resources. This means that sessions may be shorter (usually 45-60 mins) or involve a smaller number (6-8) of individual face to face or telephone sessions.

Offering low intensity treatment first means we are able to:

  • offer psychological help to more young people
  • offer psychological help in a more timely way
  • offer early intervention, before problems build up

Low intensity interventions are:

  • often more convenient for the young people and families we support
  • based on evidence of effectiveness
  • based on a teaching skills model thus contributing to longer-term wellbeing

 

For examples of what difficulties can be supported through low intensity treatment from MHST please see our parent leaflet in the resource section.

What does high intensity mean?

As well as Education Mental Health Practitioners, each locality has a smaller number of senior low intensity (LI - CBT) practitioners and a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (HI-CBT) who work across all MHST schools in the area. Senior LI practitioners support the EMHPs and schools and are able to work with young people who may benefit from a few more sessions or who may be experiencing more complex difficulties.

High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapists (HI-CBT) will typically work with young people for a longer period of time (usually between 12-14 hourly sessions), which allows a greater depth and ‘intensity’ of therapeutic input. HI-CBT is an evidence-based treatment approach and is part of the MHST offer for a number of different mental health presentations including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Health Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

HI-CBT therapists may also provide continuing treatment after low intensity interventions, if required. Sometimes, young people may be offered a low intensity intervention initially and then ‘step up’ to high intensity if that is felt to be beneficial. 

Referral Process and Confidentiality

Each school’s Mental Health Lead has received training in how to recognise mental health difficulties in the early stages and with support from the EMHP they can complete the process for young people to be referred to the MHST. A discussion should always take place with the young person and their family before a referral is made and consent requested to share this information with us.

We treat the sharing of information very carefully and confidentially. We only share information where it is helpful to do so and with consent. The only exception to this is if we need to share information to support the safety of the young person or others around them.

Once a referral has been received, the team will review the information and consider the next steps. This is often to invite the young person and their families to have a chat with us about the difficulties they have been experiencing (an assessment), so that we can decide together what support would be most appropriate. Sometimes, we decide that we might not be the right service for their particular circumstances, and we may make suggestions about where they would receive more appropriate help and support.

How to Contact Us

Our contact method is through the Rise Navigation Hub: 0300 200 2021 – please ensure you ask for the MHST and they will take a message for us to contact you as soon as we are able to.

If you wish to discuss a referral to our service, please contact your school’s Mental Health Lead.

If your school is not listed but you require early help or advice for a child or young person’s Mental Health difficulties, please check out our Primary Mental Health Team’s page at: cwrise.com/primary-mental-health for further information.

Schools Working with MHST

 

North Warwickshire Schools working with MHST
All Saints Bedworth C of E Academy & Nursery Arden Forest Infant School Ash Green Secondary Camp Hill Primary Chetwynd Primary
Coleshill School Secondary Exhall Cedars Exhall Junior School Galley Common Infants George Elliot Academy Secondary
Glendale Infant School Goodyears End Primary Hartshill Academy Secondary Higham Lane Hurley Primary
Keresley Newlands Primary Kingsbury Primary Kingsbury Secondary Michael Drayton Primary Middlemarch Primary
Nathaniel Newton Infant School Newdigate Primary Nuneaton Academy Secondary Parklane Primary Polesworth Secondary School
Queens C of E Race Leys Infant School Race Leys Juniors St Francis Catholic Academy St Michaels C of E Primary
St Thomas More Whitestone Primary    

 

 

 

 

North Warwickshire 16-18 Service
Ash Green Sixth Form Higham Lane Sixth Form North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College St Thomas More Catholic Academy Sixth Form The Coleshill School Sixth Form

 

Rugby Schools working with MHST
Abbots Farm Infant School Abbotts Farm Junior School Ashlawn School Bawnmore Community Infant School Bilton Infant School
Bilton C of E Junior School Bilton School Binley Woods Primary School Boughton Leigh Junior School Cawston Grange Primary School
Clifton Upon Dunsmore Primary School Dunchurch Boughton C of E Infant Academy Dunchurch Boughton C of E Junior School federated with Dunchurch Infant School Eastlands Primary School English Martyrs Catholic Primary School
Henry Hinde Infant School Henry Hinde Junior School Hillmorton Primary School Houlton Secondary School Lawrence Sheriff Secondary School
Leamington Hastings C of E Academy Infant and Nursery Long Lawford Primary School Paddox Primary School Riverside Academy Primary Rokeby Primary School
Rugby Free Primary School Rugby Free Secondary School Rugby High School St Andrews Benn C of E Primary School St Gabriel’s C of E Primary School
St Marie’s Catholic Primary School St Matthew’s Bloxam C of E Primary School St Oswalds CE Academy The Avon Valley School Wolston St Margaret’s Primary School

 

South Warwickshire Schools working with MHST
Alcester Academy All Saints C of E Junior School Aylesford School Primary & Secondary Bidford on Avon C of E Primary

Bishopton Primary

Brailes C of E Primary School
Campion School Clapham Terrace Community Primary Coten End Primary School Cubbington C of E Primary Emscote Infant School Ettington C of E Primary
Ferncumbe C of E Primary School Great Alne Primary Hampton Lucy C of E Primary School Henley in Arden C of E School Kineton C of E (voluntary aided) Primary School Kineton Secondary
Lapworth C of E Primary School Lighthorne Heath Primary School Moreton Morrell Primary Myton School North Leamington School Our Lady’s Catholic Primary
Our Lady & St Teresa’s Catholic Primary Shipston Primary School Shottery St Andrews C of E Primary Southam College Southam Primary School St. John’s Primary, Nursery & Children’s Centre
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School St Nicholas C of Primary Studley Community Infants School Studley High School Studley St Mary’s C of E Academy Sydenham Primary School
Tanworth in Arden C of E Primary School Temple Grafton C of E Primary School Temple Herdewyke Primary School Thomas Jolyffe Primary Tysoe C of E Primary School Welford on Avon Primary
Wellesbourne C of E Primary School Westgate Primary School Whitnash Primary School Woodloes Primary School    

 

Coventry Schools working with MHST

Alderman’s Green primary

Barrs Hill School and Community College

Blue Coat Academy

Bishop Ullathorne Catholic Secondary School

Broad Heath Primary
Caludon Castle

Cannon Park Primary

 Cardinal Wiseman Secondary School Courthouse Green primary Eden Secondary School

Edgewick Primary

 Ernesford Grange Community Academy Finham Park 2 Foxford Community School

Frederick Bird Primary School
Grace Academy

Grange Farm Primary

Grange Hurst 

Hearsall Primary

 Hill Farm Primary School
Holbrook Community Primary School

Holy Family Catholic School

 Henley Green Primary School John Gulson Primary

Joseph Cash Primary

Leigh Church of England Primary School

 Little Heath Primary School Lyng Hall School and Specialist Sports College Meadow Park Moseley Primary School
Mount Nod Primary Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School

Parkgate Primary

 Potters Green Primary School

President Kennedy Secondary School
Radford Primary School

Sacred Heart Primary

 Sidney Stringer Academy Sidney Stringer Primary School Spon Gate Primary School

Stanton Bridge

St John's Church of England Primary School

St Laurence's Church of England Primary School

Stoke Heath Primary

 St. Patrick's Catholic Primary School
Stretton Primary

Templars Primary

 The Westwood Academy West Coventry Academy Whitley Abbey Primary

Whoberley Hall Primary School

 Wyken Croft Primary

 

  

 

Mental Health Support Team for 16-18 year olds in North Warwickshire

Our North Warwickshire Mental Health Support Team works with 16 - 18-year-olds in colleges and sixth forms; expanding our reach to support mental health needs in educational settings. This service promotes good mental health and works directly with young people experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety or low mood using a CBT based approach, adapted for this age group. We may offer one-to-one interventions or small groups. If we are not the most appropriate service to meet the young person’s needs, we will signpost young people to alternative sources of support (including adult mental health services) to best meet their mental health needs.

We support a ‘Whole College Approach’ to mental health, working collaboratively with the college or sixth form utilising resources to support young people’s mental health through workshops for students, parents and college staff, drop-ins, coffee mornings, assemblies and event days.

Please note that our service takes referrals for individuals up to the age of 18 who have a GP in Warwickshire or Coventry. If you do not have a GP in this area, you can still access MHST for Whole College Approach activities, advice and signposting to other services.

There is a list of the schools and colleges that we are currently supporting on this webpage. You can also look at our ‘Meet the Team’ section to see the staff who are working in these areas. Please speak to a member of the school or college’s well-being or safeguarding team who can send a referral to MHST.

Helpful Resources

No matter why or how you access rise we want you to receive the right support at the right time.

A journey with Rise is as unique as the person receiving support. So the support each person receives may be different.