Implementing mental health support teams in schools and colleges: the perspectives of programme implementers and service providers

Jo Ellins; Lucy Hocking; Mustafa Al-Haboubi; Jenny Newbould; Sarah-Jane Fenton; Kelly Daniel; Stephanie Stockwell; Brandi Leach; Manni Sidhu; Jennifer Bousfield; Gemma McKenna; Catherine Saunders; Stephen O’Neill; Nicholas Mays

doi:10.1080/09638237.2023.2278101

Implementing mental health support teams in schools and colleges: the perspectives of programme implementers and service providers

Jo Ellins^*, Lucy Hocking, Mustafa Al-Haboubi, Jenny Newbould, Sarah-Jane Fenton, Kelly Daniel, Stephanie Stockwell, Brandi Leach, Manni Sidhu, Jennifer Bousfield, Gemma McKenna, Catherine Saunders, Stephen O’Neill, Nicholas Mays

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: Between 2018 and 2025, a national implementation programme is funding more than 500 new mental health support teams (MHSTs) in England, to work in education settings to deliver evidence-based interventions to children with mild to moderate mental health problems and support emotional wellbeing for all pupils. A new role, education mental health practitioner (EMHP), has been created for the programme.

Aims: A national evaluation explored the development, implementation and early progress of 58 MHSTs in the programme’s first 25 ‘Trailblazer’ sites. This paper reports the views and experiences of people involved in MHST design, implementation and service delivery at a local, regional and national level.

Methods: Data are reported from in-depth interviews with staff in five Trailblazer sites (n = 71), and the programme’s regional (n = 52) and national leads (n = 21).

Results: Interviewees universally welcomed the creation of MHSTs, but there was a lack of clarity about their purpose, concerns that the standardised CBT interventions being offered were not working well for some children, and challenges retaining EMHPs.

Conclusions: This study raises questions about MHSTs’ service scope, what role they should play in addressing remaining gaps in mental health provision, and how EMHPs can develop the skills to work effectively with diverse groups.

Original language	English
Article number	2278101
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Mental Health
Early online date	8 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2023.2278101
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 8 Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding:
The study was carried out by: the Birmingham, RAND and Cambridge (BRACE) Rapid Evaluation Centre, funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme (Project No: HSDR 16/138/31); and the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit, funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme (Project No: PR-PRU-1217-20602). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Keywords

mental health
children
early intervention
education
implementation
CBT
paraprofessionals

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/09638237.2023.2278101Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

EllinsJ2023ImplementingFinal published version, 1.79 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

NIHR Rapid Service Evaluations Centre
Smith, J., Ellins, J. & Taylor, B.
NIHR EVALUATION, TRIALS AND STUDIES COORDINATING CENTRE
1/04/18 → 31/03/25
Project: Other Government Departments

Cite this

Ellins, J., Hocking, L., Al-Haboubi, M., Newbould, J., Fenton, S.-J., Daniel, K., Stockwell, S., Leach, B., Sidhu, M., Bousfield, J., McKenna, G., Saunders, C., O’Neill, S., & Mays, N. (2023). Implementing mental health support teams in schools and colleges: the perspectives of programme implementers and service providers. Journal of Mental Health, Article 2278101. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2023.2278101

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abstract = "Background: Between 2018 and 2025, a national implementation programme is funding more than 500 new mental health support teams (MHSTs) in England, to work in education settings to deliver evidence-based interventions to children with mild to moderate mental health problems and support emotional wellbeing for all pupils. A new role, education mental health practitioner (EMHP), has been created for the programme.Aims: A national evaluation explored the development, implementation and early progress of 58 MHSTs in the programme{\textquoteright}s first 25 {\textquoteleft}Trailblazer{\textquoteright} sites. This paper reports the views and experiences of people involved in MHST design, implementation and service delivery at a local, regional and national level.Methods: Data are reported from in-depth interviews with staff in five Trailblazer sites (n = 71), and the programme{\textquoteright}s regional (n = 52) and national leads (n = 21).Results: Interviewees universally welcomed the creation of MHSTs, but there was a lack of clarity about their purpose, concerns that the standardised CBT interventions being offered were not working well for some children, and challenges retaining EMHPs.Conclusions: This study raises questions about MHSTs{\textquoteright} service scope, what role they should play in addressing remaining gaps in mental health provision, and how EMHPs can develop the skills to work effectively with diverse groups.",

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note = "Funding: The study was carried out by: the Birmingham, RAND and Cambridge (BRACE) Rapid Evaluation Centre, funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme (Project No: HSDR 16/138/31); and the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit, funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme (Project No: PR-PRU-1217-20602). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.",

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Ellins, J, Hocking, L, Al-Haboubi, M, Newbould, J, Fenton, S-J , Daniel, K, Stockwell, S, Leach, B, Sidhu, M, Bousfield, J, McKenna, G, Saunders, C, O’Neill, S & Mays, N 2023, 'Implementing mental health support teams in schools and colleges: the perspectives of programme implementers and service providers', Journal of Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2023.2278101

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T2 - the perspectives of programme implementers and service providers

AU - Ellins, Jo

AU - Hocking, Lucy

AU - Al-Haboubi, Mustafa

AU - Newbould, Jenny

AU - Fenton, Sarah-Jane

AU - Daniel, Kelly

AU - Stockwell, Stephanie

AU - Leach, Brandi

AU - Sidhu, Manni

AU - Bousfield, Jennifer

AU - McKenna, Gemma

AU - Saunders, Catherine

AU - O’Neill, Stephen

AU - Mays, Nicholas

N1 - Funding: The study was carried out by: the Birmingham, RAND and Cambridge (BRACE) Rapid Evaluation Centre, funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme (Project No: HSDR 16/138/31); and the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit, funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme (Project No: PR-PRU-1217-20602). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

PY - 2023/11/8

Y1 - 2023/11/8

N2 - Background: Between 2018 and 2025, a national implementation programme is funding more than 500 new mental health support teams (MHSTs) in England, to work in education settings to deliver evidence-based interventions to children with mild to moderate mental health problems and support emotional wellbeing for all pupils. A new role, education mental health practitioner (EMHP), has been created for the programme.Aims: A national evaluation explored the development, implementation and early progress of 58 MHSTs in the programme’s first 25 ‘Trailblazer’ sites. This paper reports the views and experiences of people involved in MHST design, implementation and service delivery at a local, regional and national level.Methods: Data are reported from in-depth interviews with staff in five Trailblazer sites (n = 71), and the programme’s regional (n = 52) and national leads (n = 21).Results: Interviewees universally welcomed the creation of MHSTs, but there was a lack of clarity about their purpose, concerns that the standardised CBT interventions being offered were not working well for some children, and challenges retaining EMHPs.Conclusions: This study raises questions about MHSTs’ service scope, what role they should play in addressing remaining gaps in mental health provision, and how EMHPs can develop the skills to work effectively with diverse groups.

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KW - children

KW - early intervention

KW - education

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KW - CBT

KW - paraprofessionals

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DO - 10.1080/09638237.2023.2278101

M3 - Article

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SN - 0963-8237

JO - Journal of Mental Health

JF - Journal of Mental Health

M1 - 2278101

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Implementing mental health support teams in schools and colleges: the perspectives of programme implementers and service providers

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Projects

NIHR Rapid Service Evaluations Centre

Cite this