School mental health project to expand across Reading
The mental health support team will now cover all of Reading's state-funded schools
Brighter Futures for Children’s Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is expanding to schools in north and east Reading, with the team set to provide support to all 55 state-funded schools in the borough.
The service was launched in January 2020, with Reading chosen as a trailblazer for the project, which supported an initial 16 schools in west Reading. The scheme was expanded in 2022 to a further 20 schools in south central Reading. Since then, the MHST has gone on to offer low intensity interventions to support children and young people (and their families) who are experiencing emerging or mild to moderate mental health problems.
And now, the third MHST, developed in partnership with the Integrated Care Board, will form in September of this year before formally launching in September 2025 to support the remaining 19 state-funded schools in north and east Reading.
Systematic approach
Di Smith, Board Chair of Brighter Futures for Children, said:
“The MHST has been providing incredible support to our children and young people for years now, so we are delighted that this expansion brings the service to all state-funded schools in Reading.
“Access to a systemic approach to improving mental health is incredibly important to us all and the MHST supports schools in promoting their ‘whole school approach’ for mental health, providing advice and signposting.
“The team has consistently been recognised as a fantastic resource and I’m certain it will continue to improve the mental health of children and young people across Reading.”