The Isle of Wight Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in schools is a multi-agency collaborative made up of the IW Youth Trust, Barnardo’s and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
All three providers work together to provide the MHST on the Island.
About the service
The aim of the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is the prevention, early identification, and treatment of mild to moderate mental health conditions.
What does mild and moderate mental health conditions mean?
A mild mental health issue is when a person has a small number of symptoms that have a limited effect on their daily life.
A moderate mental health issue in this context is a new presentation of increasing mild symptoms that can make a person’s daily life much more difficult than usual.
What we do
The MHST team supports schools to implement a whole school approach (WSA) to mental health and wellbeing and support the development of school policies and procedures to improve emotional health and wellbeing.
They also deliver sessions with children and young people - this may be assemblies, classroom workshops and/or group work.
Their work focuses on promoting resilience and helping children and young people to develop skills and techniques to manage their emotions. In addition to the WSA in primary schools, this support will include working with parents and carers. In secondary schools the support may also include 1 to 1 support. The Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) work within a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) framework which is an evidenced based intervention to support mild to moderate mental health conditions.
Accessing the service
There are members of the team based in every secondary school (excluding Ryde School, St Catherine’s, St George’s and the Priory) on the Island, the IW College and all sixth forms. The MHST is also rolling out to all non-fee paying primary schools on the Island.
The MHST has an office based at Exchange house, St Cross Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5BZ - however our clinical work is carried out in schools.
If you would like to see a member of the MHST team at your school, please contact your school’s Designated Mental Health Lead (DMHL) or member of your school’s pastoral support team.
How to find us
Exchange house, St Cross Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5BZ
Contact information
Call: 0300 365 4010
Email: iownt.mhst@nhs.net
We operate Monday to Thursday 9.00am to 5.00pm and Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm.
The MHST does not provide crisis mental health support or support out of hours.
In case of urgent support, contact 111 or text “the mix” at 85258 for free anonymous, confidential support.