Agenda item

Presentations to follow.

This item was presented to the Board in the form of two separate presentations by Lisa Slater (Mental Health Support Team) and Aimee Thomas (Mental Health in Education Advisor).

Lisa Slater presented an overview of the work being carried out by the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in Oldham. The MHST are in 147 Schools and Colleges and 32 in Oldham specifically. The Team are in primary schools, high schools, special schools such as specialist ASC school and colleges, they are also able to support virtual schools. Each school has a designated mental health lead who is the link between school and the MHST

There are 3 functions of the MHST Model:

1. Direct intervention- 1 to 1 or group based
2. Sign posting, advice and consultation
3. Whole school approach

For Direct intervention and signposting, advice and consultation, the MHST offer each school a consultation clinic to discuss possible concerns or worries. From consultation it could lead to interventions, sign posting, WSA intervention such as assemblies, coffee morning, whole school events such as wellbeing fairs etc

The Whole school approach incorporates assemblies, wellbeing of pupils and staff, attending community events in the school such as coffee morning, whole school events. Each borough also has a Coordinator either with the MHST or sat with another provider- TOGMIND, MHiE Team Oldham etc.

The MHST’s aim is to be within 50% of Schools in Oldham, and then eventually schools. They are currently facing some challenges including Estates, Recruitment and Supervision, but have a successful training model in place and are due to welcome wave 10 trainees from January 2024 who will attend Edgehill University.

RESOLVED:

That the Board noted and endorsed the work being done by The Mental Health Support Team in Schools across Oldham.

Aimee Thomas provided an overview of the work being done by Mental Health in Education Team. They support the needs of both staff and pupils by having a strong universal offer for all. They offer a whole school and college approach across all 111 education settings in Oldham and currently 60 schools are actively engaging with the team.

The team have 8 standards which they work towards:

1. Management and Leadership
2. Staff Development Health and Wellbeing
3. Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
4. School and College Ethos and Environment
5. Working with Parents and Carers
6. Student Voice
7. Coordinated Support
8. Identify Need and Monitor Impact

 The Team highlighted the impact that the standards have already had-

• 49% to 69% to providing visible senior leadership for Emotional Health and Wellbeing (EHMW)
• 79% of setting have EHMW on the development plan
• The physical environment has improved in settings with it changing from 57% green to 72% green this includes time out spaces and MHFA stations.
• 82% of settings have an embedded RSHE curriculum compared to 59% in previous years.
• Focus is given within curriculum to social and emotional learning and promoting personal resilience in 73% of setting compared to 58% in previous years.
• Our settings have a wide variety of strategies to ensure all children and young people are able to contribute to decisions that may impact on their EHMW. This has increased from 49% of settings reporting in green to 60% of settings.
• Settings are now prioritising a clear commitment to supporting staff EHMW and this is evidenced through both policies/procedures and practice with 72% now reporting in green in comparison to 56% in previous years.
• There has been an increase in systems in place for assessing and monitoring the EHMW of staff from 48% of schools reporting in green in previous years to 62% in green this year
• There has been a significant increase in school or college working in partnership with parents/carers to promote emotional health and mental wellbeing as appropriate from 56% highlighting themselves in green previously compared to 70% in this year’s self-assessment with no schools reporting in red in this area.
• Settings having a trauma-aware approach is taken to transition for all, with particular attention given to vulnerable groups of CYP is a focus area for the team. Whilst 63% of settings report themselves in green in this area (previously 56%)

The teams next steps and priorities going forward are

• To have a needs led service-targeted offer to settings depending on their priorities
• To link key settings together to support each other based on strengths and areas for development
• Have a more extensive offer to parents
• Collate more pupil voice during consultation and planning
• Link in with strategic priorities- Oldham Learning, Family Hubs

RESOLVED:

That the Board noted and endorsed the work being done by The Mental Health in Education Team in Schools across Oldham.