Closing the gap in emotional wellbeing

Mick Atkinson, Head of Commissioning, Place2Be

Why Early Intervention?

One in 10 children aged between five and 16 years has a mental health problem – that’s three in every classroom.

Half of those with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14, and three quarters before their mid-20s.

Why Early Intervention

Rates of mental health problems among children increase as they reach adolescence.

Mental health disorders affect 10.4% of boys aged 5-10, rising to 12.8% of boys aged 11-15, and 5.9% of girls aged 5-10, rising to 9.65% of girls aged 11-15.

Why Early Intervention?

The proportion of young people reporting frequent feelings of depression or anxiety doubled between the mid-1980s and the mid-2000s.

For boys aged 15/16, rates increased from approximately 1 in 30 to 2 in 30. For girls they increased from approximately 1 in 10 to 2 in 10.

Why Early Intervention?

There has been a big increase in the number of young people being admitted to hospital because of self-harm. Over the last 10 years this figure has increased by 68%.

Founded in 1994, Place2Be is the leading UK provider of school-based emotional and mental health services. We work in 200 schools, supporting 75,000 children, their parents / carers and teachers across England, Scotland and Wales.

With school-based teams comprising over 200 paid clinicians and over 1000 trained Volunteer Counsellors, Place2Be works predominantly in primary schools, but

increasingly too in secondary schools and children’s centres.

The charity supports children aged 4-14, and their parents and carers, to tackle

complex social, psychological and emotional challenges.

Services

• Targeted and universal support that is non-stigmatised and accessible:

• Individual counselling.• Brief self-referral drop-in sessions.• Short-term group work. • Whole classroom work. • Consultation. • Training.

Reach

In 2012/13, 3,285 children accessed individual therapeutic interventions and 782 children received group counselling support in Place2Be schools.

In 2012/13, 24,757 children (35% of the school roll) accessed the self-referral service in Place2Be schools.

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The Results

Improved emotional and mental health issues• Consistent SDQ impact data – 66% of teachers,

73% of parents, 71% of children report improvements.

Improved classroom behaviour• Of children identified by teachers as having

problems causing significant classroom interference, 68% are less disruptive in class.

Improved academic progress• 73% progressed at the same rate or beyond

expected progress in Reading, 75% progressed at the same rate or beyond in Writing, and 79% progressed at the same rate or beyond in Maths.

Supporting the Whole School• 95% of Head teachers say we have ‘improved

their school environment’.

Supporting Parents and Carers• 99% of parents reported increases in their

wellbeing, confidence and social functioning.