What are Mental Health Support Teams?

What is MHST?

The Mental Health Support Team helps children, young people and their families by providing emotional health and wellbeing support in schools and colleges.
The team consists of Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHP’s) and Senior Mental Health Practitioners. They work in schools with young people, in partnership with teachers and parents, to ensure the best possible support is given.

We can help promote good emotional wellbeing by helping to manage feelings and ensuring your child has the ability to deal with difficulties, low mood and worries in a healthier way.
This will help them cope with the ups and downs of life that we all face. We offer:

One-to-one sessions with one of our specially trained team.
Work with groups of young people who share the same difficulties, deliver assemblies or lessons on promoting mental health and wellbeing.

We provide support to parents by helping them understand and manage their child’s
behaviour through:

Parenting workshops.
Providing resources and strategies to improve lifestyle routines and to manage worries and anxious thoughts.

The Mental Health Support Teams offers workshops to schools who are registered with the service.
If you are not a Mental Health Support Team registered school, please visit our STICK team page for information on Early Help for children and young people.

What we work with:
 Anxiety
 Worry
 Low mood
 Sleep problems
 Stress
 Behavioural difficulties
 Panic
 Depression
 Simple phobias (but not blood, needle or vomit)

 Exam stress

 Promoting mental health and awareness.

These are some of the most common mental health difficulties in young people, which may respond to early intervention. However, this list is not exhaustive and we will look at each case individually.

We also provide support to schools around a whole school approach to positive emotional wellbeing as well as providing parent support (NVR Programme and Beyond Behaviours). This can be done through assemblies, parent and pupil workshops.

Forward Thinking Birmingham’s Mental Health Support Team (MHST) plays a vital role in supporting the emotional wellbeing of children and young people across the city. As part of Birmingham’s 0-25s mental health service, the MHST delivers early intervention support directly within schools and colleges, helping to reduce barriers to accessing mental health care.

Their team is made up of trained Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) and Senior Mental Health Practitioners, who work collaboratively with pupils, parents, and school staff to provide targeted, evidence-based interventions for issues such as anxiety, low mood, and behavioural concerns. Forward Thinking Birmingham’s MHST focuses not only on supporting individuals but also on building a whole-school approach to mental health, promoting resilience, emotional literacy, and a supportive school culture.

Go to: https://forwardthinkingbirmingham.nhs.uk/mental-health-support-team

Compass is leading the way in supporting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children, young people, and families in selected educational settings across Birmingham.

Birmingham Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) offers free and confidential support to Children, Young People, and Families with mild to moderate emotional health and wellbeing needs. Whether you’re feeling sad, scared, worried, or experiencing challenges like anger or frustration, Compass is here to connect you with the right help.

Compass Birmingham MHST works across selected schools in the North, West and East of Birmingham, working directly with primary and secondary schools to ensure every child and young person has the support they need.

Go to: www.compass-uk.org/services/compass-birmingham-mhst

The West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) is a collaborative initiative that brings together police, local authorities, health services, education providers, community organisations, and other key stakeholders to tackle the root causes of violence across the region. Rather than focusing solely on enforcement, the VRP takes a public health approach – aiming to prevent violence before it occurs by addressing underlying issues such as poverty, trauma, social inequality, and lack of opportunity.

Through targeted interventions, community engagement, and support for at-risk individuals, the VRP works to create safer, more resilient communities across the West Midlands, with a strong emphasis on early intervention, education, and empowerment.

Go to: www.westmidlands-vrp.org

Barnardo’s MHST in Birmingham is a key provider of early mental health and emotional wellbeing support for children and young people in schools. Working in partnership with Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, Barnardo’s leads several Mental Health Support Teams across the city, delivering evidence-based interventions and promoting whole-school approaches to mental health. Their teams include Education Mental Health Practitioners and experienced clinicians who support pupils struggling with low-level mental health difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, and friendship challenges.

Through close collaboration with schools, families, and community services, Barnardo’s MHST aims to build resilience, reduce stigma, and ensure that young people have the right support at the right time, empowering them to thrive both emotionally and academically.

Go to: www.barnardos.org.uk/commission-us/mental-health-support-teams