Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in schools in South Staffordshire are part of a government programme which puts mental health experts into schools and colleges across the country to support children and young people who struggle with their mental health to get the help and care they need, when they need it.
As well as sharing Place 2 Be’s resources for class sessions the MHST’s have developed their own resources and an assembly that can be delivered in schools around the importance of the connections we make and how poor social connections can impact our mental health. The team have also posted on their own social media platforms their ideas around connecting, trying to reach as many people as possible.
Danielle Bate, Senior MHST Practitioner at MPFT said: “The resources that we have developed to share in our schools emphasise the importance of making connections with others. We have also facilitated drop ins this week which have included activities such as colouring ‘Let’s Connect’ pictures, using Lego to model the importance of connecting as well has making paper chains where young people drew pictures or used words to describe what made them happy and what connection means to them. We have really enjoyed raising awareness of meaningful connections this week.”
The MHSTs also promote the wider resources available to children and young people in South Staffordshire, including Sandbox, an innovative range of digital mental health support. Delivered by Cerebral, Sandbox is an online hub, where for children and young people can safely seek help and advice about their mental health.
As well as live chat, forums, livestreams and other engaging and fun digital content aimed at supporting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing, those accessing the new service may also be offered personal online therapy if this is felt to be required.
As MHST staff believe that role modelling behaviour is an important way to get messages across to children and young people, they will also be getting involved in completing activities to make good connections.
You can find out more about MPFT’s MHSTs in schools in South Staffordshire, here: https://camhs.mpft.nhs.uk/south-staffordshire