Staff working with children and young people to receive mental health training

Thousands of staff who work with children and young people are set to receive mental health training thanks to a new pilot commissioned by Health Education England.

Staff including youth workers, sports coaches and librarians will receive training to help them spot the signs that a child or young person might need mental health support.

The programme will be delivered in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre, the National Children’s Bureau and the Charlie Waller Trust.

10,000 staff across the pilot sites in Southampton, Portsmouth and Norfolk will be able to access the training. The training is currently being designed with children and young people, parents and carers and staff members, before the six-month pilot begins.

It is hoped the training will be rolled out nationally and cover sectors such as education, early years and childcare, physical health, library services, sports clubs, justice and crime prevention, youth and social, family and community services.

The training will cover emotional health, including how to speak to children and young people about mental health concerns and what to say, offering support and signposting resources, and where to go for more specialist help, as well as how to recognise signs of anxiety, low self-esteem and loss of social confidence, providing practical skills on how workers can help and when to ask for more specialist support.

Debi Reilly, senior responsible officer for mental health and south west regional director at Health Education England, said: “We know more children and young people than ever need mental health support and treatment, so it is vital that we are able to raise awareness and help people spot the early signs that a child is struggling.

“There is a clear gap in professional development for the children’s workforce, who currently receive no mandatory training in children and young people’s mental health.

“This pilot aims to improve consistency, so that all workers who come into contact with children receive the same basic training in emotional health, much as we skill everyone in how to safeguard children.

“It isn’t designed to ask them to do more than they can or should within their role, it’s intended to complement existing skills and help them know what to look for, what to say and where to go for additional help or onward support and care when that’s needed.”