Mental health teams backed by our Trust are to be rolled out to all schools across Stockton to help transform well-being support for pupils.
The project – which was originally piloted in Billingham schools – has been hailed as “a great piece of work” that is “making a real difference” by local councillors.
Lisa Evans, cabinet member for children and young people at Stockton Council, said: “We know there are significant issues of children’s mental health.
“Children’s resilience and their ability to cope with everyday things seems much more difficult at the current time. It’s a great piece of work.”
Support available at school
The aim of the project is to “address issues at source” by offering pupil support on site – as well as providing teachers and teaching assistants with relevant new skills.
One-to-one support, therapeutic intervention and training for carers and workers is also being carried out with children in care – which could be expanded in the future.
Martin Gray, the council’s director of children’s services, said: “Mental health support teams are absolutely in the centre of this picture. Services are being transformed.
“Support on site is making a real difference. There is real evidence of change around how young people are experiencing and interacting and receiving support in school.”
Offering support to all
The council is now hoping to turn the project into a “template to roll out across the Tees Valley” – which could lead to extra funding as well as expansion.
“We’ve got 51% of schools in the borough covered. The expectation is we’ll get to 100% roll out. Schools really do see the value of this,” said Mr Gray.
Praise for TEWV
He added that the council was also looking at ways to support people with complex needs and praised TEWV for our work with the voluntary sector.
“I think that was brave, it’s very unusual. It’s not happening in most places,” he said.
Dominic Gardner, care group director for mental health services for older people and adult mental health at TEWV, said:
“It does feel like a very different narrative to that of a few years ago. I think the work that’s being done is really paying off for children and young people in this area.”
** See the original Teesside Gazette version of this story here.
