Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many referrals to children and young people’s Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) are refused because the needs of the child or young person are too complex or severe to be met by the MHST.

The information requested is not collected centrally. However, mental health support teams provide advice to school and college staff and where appropriate, refer any complex cases to specialist National Health Service and children and young people’s mental health services.

Mental health support teams are designed to support the mental health needs of children and young people in primary, secondary and further education. These teams use an evidence-based approach to provide early intervention for some mental health and emotional wellbeing issues, such as mild to moderate anxiety, and support education settings to develop an approach to mental health and wellbeing.