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Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Support Team
Our Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) are part of a national initiative that aims to:
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- increase access to mental health support
- bridge the gap between Education and Health
- increase the size of the Children and Young People’s workforce
Contact us
You can contact our service Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Please note, we are not a crisis service.
- Email address - ccs.mhst@nhs.net
- Make a referral
Welcome to our service
The Mental Health Support Teams work with parents, young people and schools. We provide guided self-help strategies and interventions using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). If your child is:
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- primary school aged (5 to 11 years old) - we will be working with the parents or carers.
- secondary school, college or sixth-form aged (11 to 18 years old) - we will be working directly with the young person.
We work directly with school settings to promote a 'Whole School and College Approach' to improve the mental health of the entire organisation, including the mental health and wellbeing of staff. We provide training for school staff.
Our team also offers consultations and single session interventions with young people and parents or carers where a direct intervention may not be appropriate. We link in with other agencies, support referrals and sign post to other available resources.
Our service launched in 2020 with 2 MHST's, covering 40 schools across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. In 2025 the NHS Long Term Plan stated that by 2030, 100% of schools will have access to a MHST. Year on year we will continue to increase our coverage to meet this requirement.
The MHST core functions
- Provide individual and group interventions with young people and families. These interventions will be for mild to moderate mental health needs, specifically fears and worry, behavioural difficulties and low mood.
- Work with education settings to promote a 'Whole School and College Approach' to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the whole organisation and staff. This will include staff training.
- Offer consultations and single session interventions with school staff and/or families where a direct intervention may not be appropriate.
Who you will see and speak to
Education Mental Health Practitioner will deliver CBT informed assessments and guided self help for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems. They will also deliver whole school approaches and support schools in their journey to becoming more 'mentally healthy'.
Assistant Education Mental Health Practitioner will support the functioning of the MHST, by developing and preparing resources, co-delivering training and groups.
Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner are training to become Education Mental Health Practitioners They will deliver CBT informed assessments and guided self help for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems. They will also deliver whole school approaches and support schools in their journey to becoming more 'mentally healthy'.
Senior Wellbeing Practitioner will deliver CBT informed assessments and guided self help for children and young people with moderate mental health problems, provide supervision and support to Education Mental Health Practitioners. They will work closely with schools in their whole school approach.
Senior Clinician supervise junior staff members, provide 'Single Session Interventions,' triage cases, deliver training and workshops, work closely with mental health leads in schools and hold own caseload of clinical work.
Clinical and Team Lead will lead across two MHST's, holding a small caseload of more complex cases, provide 'Single Session Interventions' and consultations, linking with senior leads in schools, providing more specialist support and supervision.
Schools covered by Mental Health Support Team
If your school is not currently in the list below, young people or parents and carers can self-refer to YOUnited to request an assessment for a direct or group intervention. Professionals can contact the Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner Team for professional consultations, with consent.
Make a referral
The MHST accepts referrals from young people, parents, carers and professionals.
Last reviewed: 16 April, 2024
