Who are We?
Our West Essex, Children and Young People Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is here to support education settings in Harlow and Epping Forest. We help to promote positive mental health within primary, secondary and higher education settings within these areas. Our MHST is part of the Government’s Green Paper initiative; ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision’.
What Do We Do?
In Primary schools we focus on Child Anxiety or Challenging Behaviour and the work is carried out with the parent. These interventions are for ages 4-11. We also offer our Brain Buddies course for years 4,5 and 6. Brain Buddies is an emotional regulation course which teaches children to recognise emotions and develop skills to tackle big feelings in their lives.
In Secondary schools we focus on Adolescent Anxiety or Low Mood and the work is carried out directly with the young person. We deliver the Mind and Mood course which is always well received by students and teachers. We also run workshops and drop-ins for young people where appropriate.
We run regular parent workshops (online and in person) for Anxiety and Challenging Behaviour and these are for parents to support their primary school age children.
In consultation with education settings, we provide workshops for school staff too on a variety of well-being topics.
Additionally, we work with local organisations such as Changing Lives, Young Carers and Harlow Youth Council to promote positive mental health.
How Can I Access Your Service?
We have two teams, one that works just in Harlow and one that works across Epping Forest District.
Please speak to the Mental Health Lead in your setting as they will also be able to make a referral for you.
Each team is commissioned to work with twenty education settings and we can ONLY accept referrals from the schools signed up to the MHST programme.
In Harlow the settings are:
Burnt Mill Academy
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery
The Downs Primary School
Hare Street Community Primary School & Nursery
Harlow College
Jerounds Primary Academy
Kingsmoor Academy
Latton Green Primary Academy
Little Parndon Primary Academy
Mark Hall Academy
Passmores Academy
Pear Tree Mead Academy
Pemberley Academy
Potter Street Academy
Purford Green Primary School
Sir Frederick Gibberd College
Stewards Academy
St. James’ CofE Primary School
Tanys Dell Primary School
William Martin C of E Junior, Infant and Nursery School
Our Epping Forest Team started in September 2021. The four Educational Mental Health Practitioners are currently in training with Reading University and will qualify in July 2022. At the moment we are building up the number of education settings to be fully operational from September 2022.
In Epping the settings are:
Davenant Foundation School
King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy
Leverton Primary School
Limes Farm Junior School
New City College
Ongar Primary School
The Ongar Academy
Thomas Willingale Primary School and Nursery
After the February half term we will also be working with the following schools;
Coopersale and Theydon Garnon C.E. Primary School
Debden Park High School
Roding Valley High School
Upshire Primary Foundation School
More Information
You can find regular updates on our team’s activities, advice and tips on our social media platforms. Please find the links below:
If you would like more information, then please do email the team at [email protected]
