Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what arrangements will be in place to provide expert advice on children’s mental health alongside Experts at Hand for SEND.

The department is investing around £1.8 billion over the next three years for local area partnerships, including local authorities and Integrated Care Boards, to develop a new Experts at Hand offer. This offer is designed to strengthen the capability of mainstream education settings by providing access to support from key services and health and specialist education practitioners.

The government is expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to cover 60% of schools this year and we will continue to expand until we reach universal coverage by 2029/30. These teams will be coordinated with Experts at Hand, and should together form a ‘team around the setting’, ensuring timely access to the right support through a coordinated, multi-agency approach.

Where appropriate, local areas are also expected to commission specialist settings, including special schools and alternative provision, to provide outreach and share their expertise, drawing on existing specialist support including mental health provision.

The department is expanding MHSTs to provide early mental health support. As of March 2025, 52% of pupils (70% in secondary schools) were supported, with further data for 2025–26 to be published.

The government has further delivered its manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers three years ahead of schedule, increasing capacity across services.