- 26/09/2017
- Posted by: Jayne Bryant MS
- Category: News
Children and teachers in Wales will receive the emotional and mental health support they need when they need it in schools as part of a unique new Welsh Labour Government initiative.
A £1.4m investment to have been agreed by Welsh Government to strengthen the support from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to schools.
Dedicated CAMHS practitioners will be recruited to work with pilot schools in areas across Wales. They will provide teachers with on-site help and advice, ensuring pupils experiencing difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, and compulsive self-harm or conduct disorders receive early help in schools from suitably trained staff, preventing more serious problems occurring later in life.
The model will:
• Provide support for teachers to better understand childhood distress, emotional and mental health problems, and reduce stress experienced by teachers concerned about their pupils, by helping them to recognise and deal with low level problems within their competence
• Ensure that when issues are identified that are outside teachers’ competence and skills, that specialist liaison, consultancy and advice is available to enable the young person to be directed to more appropriate services such as CAMHS or Local Primary Mental Health Support Services, and to support the teacher and school in providing for the young person’s educational needs
