Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) Information for Parents/Carers
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is an early intervention service that supports children and young people who may be presenting with mild or moderate mental health difficulties. These are described as ‘difficulties that may be affecting day to day life and engagements in school activities.’
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) work in partnership with many primary schools in Cornwall and other services to offer a wide range of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, as well as the adults who support them.
The Mental Health Support Team in Schools has been introduced as part of a national project to support children, young
people and their families within education settings. Working in primary schools in Cornwall we provide short term, low-intensity mental health interventions and support. We may work directly with the parent/carer or the young person, depending on the support needed. We are a team of qualified and trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) and Supervisors, supported by Team and Service Managers. Together, we have a wealth of experience in supporting children and young people with their mental health.
We deliver a range of evidence-based interventions focused on mild to moderate anxiety, low mood and behaviour management. This may include interventions such as:
• Parent Led cognitive behavioural therapy for parents.
• Overcoming Your Child’s Fears and Worries programme: an individual guided self-help intervention for parents of anxious children aged 12 and under
• Direct support to children from the aged of 8 to 11 years old using self-help cognitive behavioural therapy resources
• Worry management for children experiencing anxiety
• Graded exposure (facing feared situations step by step) for children with phobias and other anxiety difficulties
• Support for young people to explore and develop helpful coping strategies, specific to improving low mood
How do I access support from the MHST?
Speak to your child's education setting (school) to see if they have an Education Mental Health Practitioner working with them at the school.
For more information, please see the MHST Parent Carer Leaflet
Please note :there are some difficulties that the MHST do not work with, because they require more specialist
intervention - if children or young people are experiencing severe difficulties, where symptoms are having a significant impact on their daily life, requiring more help, you can refer them to their own GP or the CAMHS service via the Early Help Hub (EHH). If you need to speak to someone urgently about your child's mental health you could contact NHS 111.
More help...
Childline | Call 0800 111 (free)
Open 7:30am - midnight (Mon - Fri) and 9am - midnight (weekends). Available to anyone up to 18 years old.
Mental Health Response Line
Call 0800 038 5300 (free) Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CRISIS Text Service | Text SHOUT to 85258
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
NHS Helpline | Call 111
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In an emergency, call 999 or go to hospital.
Kooth | Visit kooth.com
For young people aged 10-18 years.
Online chat open until 10pm every night.
Headstart Kernow
Visit www.headstartkernow.org.uk Information for parents and carers.
Your Way | Visit your-way.org.uk
Services for young people aged 10 and over.
Page last updated: 18 January 2023
