Nearly 70% of children attending schools within Devon and Torbay can access early intervention
Schools across all districts in Devon are now able to access support from The Mental Health Support Team in Schools (MHST). This achievement ensures that from 2025 nearly 70% of children attending schools within Devon and Torbay can access early intervention that supports children and young people with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Holly Billington, service lead for MHST said, “At the heart of our work is the belief that every child and young person deserves the support they need to thrive. Our mental health support team in schools pathway is crucial in providing mental health resources at a time when they are so needed.
Across Devon and Torbay, our incredible teams have consistently exceeded expectations, demonstrating the power of compassionate, tailored care.
With the progress we’ve seen so far, we know there’s still room to grow, and additional funding will be vital in expanding our impact.
We’re excited about the opportunity to bring this work to even more schools, reaching more students who need support, and continuing to build a foundation where mental health is prioritised for children and young people.”
Emma O’Connell, Acting Director of Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) said, “I’d like firstly applaud the work that all our teams do across CFHD and the impact they continue to have across both Devon and Torbay.
Secondly, I’d like confirm that NHS England has made no suggestion there will be a reduction in funding for our MHST pathway, an essential service that we provide across the county. As a service, we are excited about the opportunity to expand our reach and positively impact even more children and young people.
The recent coverage on BBC News highlighted the incredible work this service is doing, and we remain fully committed to ensuring its continued success.
Additional funding will only strengthen our ability to support young people, both in school, through this service and outside of school through other vital pathways of care.
The work being done is truly invaluable, and we are dedicated to investing resources, time and effort in expanding the support we offer to children and young people in our schools and communities.
For more on this story:
BBC News: Call to roll out service to all county schools
Anna Varle, BBC South West health correspondent
Anna Varle, BBC South West health correspondent