Responding to the latest data release from the Department for Education on the delivery of the Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Implementation Programme, Allen Joseph, Researcher in Mental health, Wellbeing & Inclusion at the Education Policy Institute (EPI), said:
“With the latest data showing that one in five children and young people have a mental illness, the expansion of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) across schools and colleges in England represents a positive step towards addressing the mental health needs of young people.
“However, MHSTs still only serve a minority of schools and colleges, with current coverage at 34 per cent and projected to reach 42 per cent by March 2025.
“Whilst initial evaluations indicate that MHSTs have been positively received within the communities they serve, questions remain about their measurable impact on children and young people as well as concerns that their remit has been too focused on ‘mild-to-moderate’ mental health issues. This means that young people with more serious needs may continue to be underserved. To adequately address the mental health needs of all pupils, increased investment will be key to enable schools and colleges to access support from mental health professionals.
“We must also recognise that schools and colleges, while playing a vital role, cannot be solely responsible for addressing the mental health needs of children and young people. Continued support for wider early intervention services and children and young people’s mental health services will be essential and coordination across these sectors is key in providing adequate mental health care for young people.”
