School-based mental health trial to be rolled out

Settings with the highest levels of need were given access to a school-based mental health team (library photo)

A new school-based mental health support trial will be rolled out across Surrey following positive early results, a health trust has said.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS trust (SABP) said children in Epsom and Ewell were seeing the benefits and getting "the right help at the right time" within their own school environment.

Settings with the highest levels of need had been given access to a school-based mental health team with educational psychologists, therapists and mental health nurses.

Justine Leonard, director of children and young people's services at SABP, said: "By working in this way with schools and teaching staff we can help so many more children access help early."

The initiative, led by the trust in partnership with emotional wellbeing organisations, aims to reduce barriers to support and to improve outcomes.

SABP said every school in Surrey had access to a dedicated mental health professional from the trust, but schools in Epsom and Ewell had been given additional support according to the need and local deprivation in the area.

The trust said one young person who received support at school, said they had been in a "very dark place" but since receiving support had been feeling "so much better".

They added: "I understand what the triggers are for me and how to look after myself and I am able to do so many more things than I thought I could."

The trial, which is being delivered by Mindworks Surrey, will now be expanded to other areas across the county over the coming months.

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