Working with schools
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) works directly with schools in the BANES area.
Which schools do we work with?
Wiltshire secondary schools
Wooton Bassett
Bradon Forest
Royal Wootton Bassett
Calne
Kingsbury Green
Chippenham
Hardenhuish
Wiltshire College Chippenham
Abbeyfield School
Sheldon School
Devizes
Devizes School
Lavington School
Pewsey Vale School
Melksham Oak Community School
Salisbury
Sarum Academy
Salisbury Sixth Form College
St Joseph’s Catholic School
Wiltshire College Salisbury campus
Wyvern and St Edmunds Learning Campus (Wyvern College)
Trowbridge
The Clarendon Academy
St Augustine’s Catholic School
The John of Gaunt School
Wiltshire College Trowbridge campus
Westbury
Matravers School
Wiltshire primary schools
Wootton Bassett
Longleaze
St Bartholomew’s
Calne
Priestly Primary
Marden Vale
Chippenham
St Pauls
Charter Primary
Ivy Lane
St Mary’s RC
St Peters Primary
Frogwell
Queens Crescent
Devizes
Five Lanes School
Southbroom Infants School
Southbroom St James Academy
St Joseph’s Primary Academy
The Trinity CE Primary Academy
Wansdyke School
Pewsey Primary School
River Mead School
The Manor School
St Nicholas CVC
SEEND
Salisbury
Manor Fields
Pembroke Park
Woodlands
Sarum St Pauls
St Peter’s CE
Harnham CE junior
Harnham infants
St Mark’s CE
St Martin’s CE
St Osmund’s Catholic Primary
Wyndham Park
Trowbridge
Bellefield Primary and Nursery School
Grove Primary School
Holbrook Primary School
Newtown Community
Oasis Academy Longmeadow
Paxcroft Primary School
St John’s Catholic Primary School
Studley Green Primary School
Westbury
Bitham Brook Primary School
Westbury CE Junior School
Westbury Infants School
Westbury Leigh CE Primary School
Dilton Marsh CE Primary School
Special education provision
Exeter House
164 Silverwood (Larkrise)
Silverwood (St Nicks)
Silverwood (Rowdeford)
Early intervention and prevention
MHSTs are a response to the government’s green paper to improve access and quality of mental health support for children and young people in education settings. Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) sit within the MHST along with other mental health professionals and clinical supervisors. The purpose of the MHST is for early intervention and prevention of common mental health problems.
Self-help interventions
EMHPs deliver evidence-based, low-intensity, guided self-help interventions with children and young people and their parents/carers, either remotely or in a school setting.
These interventions are to support children, young people, and their families to overcome common mental health problems such as anxiety, low mood, and behavioural difficulties.
Interventions include:
- Behavioural activation
- Exposure habituation
- Cognitive restructuring
- Behavioural experiments
- Worry management
- Coping Cat
- Pesky gNATS
- Parent training and parent-led CBT
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of talking therapy which looks at how what we think and what we do affects how we feel. It involves finding out what is keeping us ‘stuck’ and helps us change how we feel by trying different ways of thinking about things or different ways of doing things. The below video explains more about how CBT works.
As well as 1:1 work, the MHST works closely with schools and their Designated Mental Health Lead (DMHL) to develop a whole school approach towards mental health. A whole school approach involves everyone being committed and working together to improve mental health and wellbeing. This includes senior leadership, all school staff, parents and carers, and members of the wider community.
Consultations
School staff can request consultations with an EMHP. This is a solution-focused meeting to discuss a mental health problem or concern for a group of children or an individual child.
MHSTs can deliver psychoeducation to classes or groups of children where there is an identified need. Examples include managing exam stress, emotional literacy, self-esteem, transitions, and raising mental health awareness.
MHSTs can also deliver continuing professional development to school staff.
Page last reviewed: 10 October, 2024