NHS therapy will be offered across schools in the Midlands to help school children with their anxiety.

New Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) of specially-trained NHS staff have been assigned to one in three schools to offer in-school treatment for young people with anxiety and depression.

This service is hopefully going to expand to every primary and secondary school in England within five years. Improving children’s mental health is essential to securing the “future economic health of the country” amid fears that a generation of “ghost children” scarred by lockdown will struggle to enter the workplace.

The specialist support is seen as crucial to reversing an alarming drop in school attendance rates, which is being fuelled by mental health problems. The latest figures show 125,222 children in England miss at least half of school, twice the level recorded before the pandemic.

There are 398 school mental health teams in England, and in the last 12 months, MHST in the Midlands have seen more than 15,000 children and young people.

This is 18% of the total children and young people who are seen by an MHST nationally.

The Midlands has an average number of 247 children and young people who have contacted a MHST, which is above the national average of 216 contacts per team.

MHST are trained in interventions including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and how to identify and fast track children for more specialist help.

The teams also lead a whole school approach to mental health, training teachers and parents to deliver sessions on issues such as sleep hygiene and screen time.

The Lincoln Carlton Academy in Lincoln provides a range of mental health support to its students. The Academy’s Mental Health Support Team (MHST) have implemented a Mindful Curriculum for both students and staff.

The Curriculum is a six-week programme, with a short, twice-daily practice of two different mindfulness activities.

The MHST have received positive feedback which includes staff and students feeling calmer, more prepared for the day and with a better mindset.

Ruth Clark, SENDCo and Assistant Head Teacher at Lincoln Carlton Academy said: “We implemented the Mindfulness Curriculum, developed by Mental Health Support Teams at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT), in the summer term.

“The whole school engages with mindfulness at the same time. This is straight after morning play time and straight after lunch, as these can often be flashpoints in the school day.

“It has really helped creating a sense of calm in the school and supported the children to be ready for learning. The mindfulness also helps with the wellbeing of staff as they take time for themselves throughout the day.

“Some of our teachers have also introduced a mini-mindfulness activity as children arrive at school in the morning. This helps to set their class up for assembly.”

Giles Tinsley, Programme Director for Mental Health at NHS England in the Midlands, said: “The pandemic has spiked anxiety, depression and other common mental health problems amongst children and young people.

“It is vital that children and young people in the Midlands receive the help and support they need at school.

“By having support, students will gain confidence which will encourage them to attend their lessons. This is so important for their education, but also will help them to develop the habits and problem-solving skills they need for the workforce in the future”.

Parents and carers can help to look after a child or young person’s mental health.  The Every Mind Matters website has information on how to give children and young people support and help to keep them mentally healthy.

Further plans for the development of children and young people’s mental health care are described in the NHS Long Term Plan and set out in detail for local areas in the Mental Health Implementation Plan.