Increased mental health support in schools could tackle a lack of support for children with moderate to complex needs, new research by Barnado’s reveals.
According to the charity’s report “It's hard to talk”: Expanding Mental Health Support Teams in education, children “must be in crisis” before support is offered, leaving those who do not meet this threshold without access to services. The charity has called for an expansion of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) which operate in schools and colleges to fill the gap in care.
The recommendation comes as more than a quarter of young people are rejected from waiting lists for children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), according to Barnardo’s.
The report found that declined cases were varied but included self-harm referrals without a concurrent mental health condition and referrals related to life events such as bereavement or divorce.
