Redesigning and transforming mental health services - update

Welcome to the latest update on our system-wide work to redesign and transform mental health services for children and young people in Norfolk and Waveney. We are keen to spread the message as widely as possible so please do share and circulate this update as widely as possible.

Mental Health Services and Schools Link Programme

Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) has hosted two successful mental health champion training sessions for both primary and secondary schools, attended by 20 schools and 20 mental health practitioners. These were delivered by representatives of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and included:

• An opportunity to meet officers from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to find out more about current provision and referral processes;
• An overview of transformation plans;
• Using the CASCADE framework, which helps partners find ways of working together more effectively to better support children young people's mental health.
• Training and guidance on managing presentations of anxiety, and the 5 P's of formulation when it comes to reporting and assessing needs (predisposing factors, precipitating factors, the 'problem', perpetuating factors, and protective factors).

Any schools interested in future sessions please contact: anna.sims@norfolk.gov.uk

Mental Health Champion Training

Please contact: linkwork-point1@ormistonfamilies.org.uk

The PATHS® Programme

The PATHS® Programme is designed to facilitate the development of self-control, emotional awareness and interpersonal problem-solving skills for primary aged pupils. Please contact anna.sims@norfolk.gov.uk for further information.

Spring start for new Mental Health Support Teams in schools

Two Mental Health Support Teams are set to be recruited in January in North Norfolk and Kings Lynn as part of a trailblazing pilot scheme due to start early in the Spring. Each team will be working with about 20 schools and up to 8,000 children and young people. Their work will complement the work already happening in schools, providing a range of support such as talking therapy and group support, as well as staff consultation and help for parents.

Pilot to transform adult mental health

Another kind of pilot scheme is set to go live in January to transform adult mental health by placing Mental Health Practitioners in GP surgeries in five test locations in Breckland, Lowestoft, Fens and Brecks, central Norwich and north Norfolk. These practitioners would be available to support people of all ages. We are now working to establish how we can better align our work with this new approach in these pilot areas.

New governing body meets

The first meeting of the Alliance Board, a new governing body with oversight for mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, took place on Thursday 19 December.

The board's stakeholders will include: commissioners, providers, local authority colleagues, third sector and parent and carer representatives.

One its top priorities is meaningful representation, participation and involvement of youngsters as part of the transformation process.

Kind regards
Sara Tough - Executive Director of Children's Services