Part of Maltby Learning Trust (a multi-academy group), Maltby Academy is a secondary school serving an area with a high level of deprivation in Rotherham. With a whole-school borough-wide approach in mind they have commissioned in-school resources and established pathways with local statutory services to better identify and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and/or those with social, emotional, mental health and behavioural needs. Its vision is to create a cultural norm of accessible mental health services within schools.
Part of Maltby Learning Trust (a multi-academy group), Maltby Academy is a secondary school serving an area with a high level of deprivation in Rotherham. With a whole-school borough-wide approach in mind they have commissioned in-school resources and established pathways with local statutory services to better identify and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and/or those with social, emotional, mental health and behavioural needs. Its vision is to create a cultural norm of accessible mental health services within schools.
Access
A Vulnerable Learners Network, teamed by staff with key responsibilities for pastoral care and safeguarding, act as a triage point and conduit for pathways to internal and external provision. To enable referrals and information sharing with other agencies the team meet weekly and have established regular meetings with local providers including the local authority early help team (fortnightly) and with a CAMHS locality worker (monthly).
Interventions
Maltby Learning Trust’s in-house service Rotherham Multi-Agency Support Team (Rotherham MAST) provide mental health interventions for the school community including onsite 1:1 and group interventions for students and support for staff including counselling, training and supervision. The service is accessed via appointment or at twice weekly drop-ins. They also offer support for parents of a systemic nature which is delivered in pupils’ homes or other suitable community venues as suits their needs. MAST practitioners work on an outreach basis across schools but meet weekly for shared learning, supervision and peer debrief.
Students can also access an onsite Wellbeing Centre offering key worker and mentoring support, early therapeutic and/or SEND intervention and alternative curriculum for young people who are struggling to maintain engagement within a mainstream environment. In addition to offering traditional support mechanisms for SEND students they provide a differentiated approach that is sensitive to individual pupil factors, such as emotional resilience, attachment, history of trauma and cognitive ability.
What makes this an example of positive practice?
This multi-layered programme of work represents a significant step forward in terms of timely interventions for children and young people, in the spirit of committed partnership working, and provides a blueprint to address escalating issues of monetary resources, cost efficiency and sustainability. By directly employing mental health practitioners and linking in with other schools and external agencies, this multi-agency partnership facilitates the provision of bespoke packages of support and the delivery of evidence-based interventions.
Further details
Commissioning and funding
Maltby Learning Trust
RMBC/CCG for specific project relating to Whole School Approach to Mental Health
Providers
Maltby Learning Trust schools
Rotherham Multi-agency Support Team
Age
0 to 19 years’ old
Prevention and resilience – universal and early intervention for at risk
Access and advice – consultation lines, triage and signposting
