Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of Mental Health Support Teams in schools in respect to reducing pressure on CAHMS.

The Department has reviewed the available evidence and operational learning to assess the impact of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). Early findings from evaluations of trailblazer and pilot sites suggest that MHSTs are supporting earlier identification and more effective management of emerging mental health needs within educational settings. By providing timely intervention, MHSTs can help prevent difficulties from escalating to a level that would otherwise require referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

In addition to this early evidence, an independent evaluation of the MHST programme is currently underway and is due to be published later this year. This evaluation will consider the broader impacts of MHSTs, including their effect on CAMHS.