Mental Health Support Team

Mental Health Support Team in Schools (MHST)

The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is a new NHS service working in our school. It offers free help to children and young people who may be struggling with things like worry, feeling low, or finding it hard to manage their emotions.

What MHST Can Offer

MHST can support students in different ways:

• One-to-one sessions with a trained mental health worker.
• Group sessions where students can learn skills together.
• Parent support, helping parents or carers understand how to support their child at home.
• Whole school support, such as assemblies and activities that promote good mental health.

Who MHST Can Help

MHST uses a short and structured type of support called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This helps students learn ways to manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.

MHST works best when students have mild to moderate difficulties, such as:

• Worry or anxiety
• Low mood
• Trouble managing emotions

MHST may not be the right service if:

• There are lots of difficult situations in the student’s life affecting their wellbeing.
• The difficulties are mainly linked to conditions like autism or ADHD rather than mental health.
• The student needs more specialist or long-term support.

How to Get Support

• A student or their parent/carer can ask the school for help.
• A teacher or staff member might notice a student needs support.
• These concerns are shared with the school’s Designated Mental Health Lead (DMHL), who can send a referral to MHST.

Is MHST Right for You?

MHST uses a type of support called low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LI-CBT). This is a short, simple approach that helps young people set goals and learn ways to manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.

When MHST Can Help Most

LI-CBT works best for young people who are experiencing:

• Low mood
• Anxiety (worry)
• Difficulty managing emotions

When MHST May Not Be the Right Service

MHST may not be suitable if:

• There are lots of difficult situations in the young person’s life that are causing stress or upset.
• The difficulties are mainly linked to conditions like autism or ADHD rather than mental health.
• The young person needs more specialist or long-term support.

How to Access Support

Accessing the MHST is a collaborative process between the family and the school.

The Referral Process:

All requests and observations are discussed with the school’s Designated Mental Health Lead (DMHL), who is responsible for making official referrals to the MHST.