A new team of trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners are set to start at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
The new practitioners will be dedicated to supporting children and young people who are experiencing common mental health difficulties and helping them and their families manage their recoveries in a calm and familiar environment.
Starting next month, the team will undergo specialist training at University College London alongside their school-based training, giving them the tools to do the best job possible and help support patients in the best manner possible.
Once fully trained, the mental health practitioners will stage “early, evidence-based psychological interventions” allowing both the clinicians and patients to address any mental health issues effectively and efficiently.
The new role will be part of the trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), which works towards improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people across a variety of educational settings.
Tina Swain, Service Director for CAMHS and Eating Disorder Services said: “I am extremely keen to support the continued growth and developments in services which support and enable our children and young people to get advice and support at the earliest opportunity.
“With this in mind, I am very pleased to support the new team of trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners and over the coming months hear the amazing working of the team with our young people and professionals across education.”
As well as the rest of the mental health team, the practitioners will support the delivery of school-based interventions designed to improve wellbeing in educational settings, as well as important signposting and possible referrals to specialist services.
The trust is liaising with partners across the North West London Integrated Care Board on career direction and pathways in order to attract the country’s most talented staff into their new role.
The new position is being funded by NHS England and Health Education England.
