If your child is at school or college, the first thing you should do is talk to your child's class teacher, or form tutor. It is important that they are aware of the issues your child is experiencing. Many schools will have professionals within the school who may be able to offer support in the first instance. Schools can also refer your child to other support services:
If your child is 5 years old or over, school nurses can tell you about services for wellbeing, and can check on your child's wellbeing during school.
The Counselling in Schools service provides counselling, arts therapy and drama therapy to primary and secondary schools across Hertfordshire. schools can request school counselling or mentoring. Schools can request this from Safe Space.
The MHST is an early intervention service, working with children and young people aged 5 - 18, with mild to moderate mental health difficulties and challenging behaviours. The SEN MHST supports mental wellbeing in many SEN schools in Herts and West Essex. They also support some mainstream schools in Hertfordshire: to find out if your school has a MHST attached, you can contact your SENCo.
The MHST helps to support mental health with workshops, group based work, and guided 1:1 self-help sessions, which are delivered by an Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP).
You can be referred to this service by a Family Support Officer, your SENCo or Mental Health Lead. To access this service, the young person must attend a Hertfordshire or West Essex SEN School which is part of the MHST.
You can read more about MHST on the PALMS webpage (under the 'How the Service is Provided' section).