NHS South Sefton and NHS Southport and Formby CCGs in partnership with Sefton Council, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, North West Boroughs Healthcare, schools, voluntary community and faith (VCF) sector colleagues have been successful in a bid to provide additional early mental health support for children and young people in the borough.

The NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) bid secured £720k of funding to set up two Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in Sefton, scheduled to be established by the beginning of 2021 as part of wave 4 of the national roll out of the teams. MHSTs are part of the system-wide local transformation plan for children and young people’s mental health, working in schools and colleges to deliver early intervention for mild to moderate mental health issues and building on the support already available in schools, from local health and care services and VCF organisations.

The focus and location of the Sefton MHSTs have been based on an assessment of the emotional health and wellbeing (EHW) needs of children and young people (CYP) in the area. In South Sefton, one MHST will work to counteract high levels of deprivation and health inequality, and will be available in all educational settings. The second MHST will support all transition year groups in other areas of Sefton i.e. years 6/7 and years 11/12.

Working with all partners, plans are underway to ensure that the teams are ready to start working with children and young people in early 2021. This includes the recruitment and training of eight new Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) who will be trained at Edge Hill University in evidenced based therapies and interventions. These key new roles have been developed as part of the national initiative to improve access to psychological therapies for children and young people.

For more details about the national MHST programme visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers/