Nearly 6 million
children and young people in England can now access support through school or college
Student wellbeing news
More mental health support teams in schools and colleges: what to know
Mental Health Support Teams are expanding in England. Here is what they do, who they work with, how you can ask for support and when urgent help matters more.
Current answer
What has changed?
The short answer is that more students in England can now get early mental-health support through school or college. On 10 June 2026, GOV.UK said:
“Nearly six million children and young people can now access mental health support in their school or college” — GOV.UK
The same announcement says support teams are now working in almost 11,800 schools and colleges across England, around 800,000 more pupils than last year. The government says it is working towards every school and college in England having access to Mental Health Support Teams by the end of 2029; NHS England describes the expansion as reaching 100% of schools in England by 2029/30.
This does not mean every school or college in the UK already has one. The current rollout figures are for England, and your own school or college will still have its own way of connecting students with support.
Quick answer
What the news means
Mental Health Support Teams, often shortened to MHSTs, are becoming available to more students through schools and colleges in England.
What it does not mean
It does not replace CAMHS, school counselling, pastoral support, your GP or urgent help services.
What to do if you need help
Start with a trusted adult or student-support contact at school or college, unless you feel unsafe or need urgent help now.
What Mental Health Support Teams do
Mental Health Support Teams are part of the support around schools and colleges in England. The Department for Education says MHSTs provide extra capacity to promote and support mental health and wellbeing in primary, secondary and further education settings.
“provide early, evidence-based interventions for common mental health issues” — DfE
In plain English, they are there for early support, advice and joined-up help. They are not there to turn teachers into therapists, and they are not a substitute for emergency support.
Early support
They can offer early, evidence-based support for common mental-health difficulties.
Whole-school support
They help mental-health leads develop a whole-school or college approach to wellbeing.
Advice and links to specialist help
They give timely advice to staff and work with external specialist services so students can get the right support.
Working with existing support
DfE says MHSTs integrate with counsellors, educational psychologists, school nurses, pastoral teams, local authorities, voluntary organisations and NHS children and young people’s mental-health services.
Where to start if you want help
You do not have to know the exact service name before asking for help. A good first step is to tell one safe person that you are struggling and ask what support is available through your school, college or local NHS service.
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1. Talk to a trusted adult at school or college
This could be a form tutor, head of year, pastoral lead, school nurse, college student-services adviser, safeguarding lead or another member of staff you trust.
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2. Ask who handles mental-health support
Many schools and colleges have a senior mental health lead or named wellbeing contact. If your setting works with an MHST, that person may help connect you with the team.
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3. Use local children and young people’s mental-health services when needed
The NHS says a GP, teacher, school nurse or social worker can put a young person in touch with local children and young people’s mental-health services, and some services allow self-referral.
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4. Do not wait for school if it is urgent
Do not wait for school if safety is the issue. If you are in England and need urgent mental-health help but it is not immediate danger, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. If life is at risk or someone cannot be kept safe, call 999 or go to A&E.
How to ask for help at school or college
It can feel awkward to start the conversation. These steps keep it simple.
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Choose one person
Pick a staff member or trusted adult you feel most able to speak to. You can ask to talk somewhere private.
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Say what has changed
You could mention low mood, anxiety, panic, stress, bullying, bereavement, self-harm thoughts, problems eating or sleeping, or finding school harder than usual.
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Ask what support exists
Ask whether your school or college has an MHST, school counsellor, school nurse, pastoral team or student wellbeing service.
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Ask what happens next
Ask who will contact you, whether you need a referral, whether you can refer yourself, and how long you might wait for an initial conversation.
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Ask about privacy
NHS wording is clear that what you say should be confidential unless services are worried about your safety or someone else’s safety.
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Use urgent help if safety is the issue
If you feel you might hurt yourself, someone else is at risk, or you cannot stay safe, use urgent help rather than waiting for a school appointment.
A message you can adapt
Words you can use if you are not sure what to say
Use this when you want help but are not sure how to start the conversation at school or college.
Hi [name], I’m finding things difficult at the moment and I’d like to speak to someone about mental-health support at school or college. Could you help me find out whether we have a Mental Health Support Team, school counsellor or student support service, and what happens next? I’m also worried about who will be told, so could you explain what is confidential and what would need to be shared for safety?
It says clearly that you want support, asks for the right contact, and raises confidentiality in a calm way. You do not need to explain everything in the first message.
MHSTs, CAMHS, school counselling and other support: what is the difference?
These names can sound similar, but they do not all do the same job. The exact local offer can vary, so use this as a practical guide rather than a promise that every service is available in the same way.
MHSTs, CAMHS, school counselling and other support: what is the difference?
| Support | What it is | When it may help | How you may reach it |
|---|---|---|---|
Mental Health Support Team (MHST) | An NHS-linked team working with schools and colleges in England. | Early support for common mental-health difficulties, plus advice for the school or college. | Usually through a school or college contact, such as a wellbeing lead, pastoral team, teacher, nurse or student-services team. |
CAMHS / CYPMHS | Children and young people’s NHS mental-health services. YoungMinds explains that CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. | Assessment and treatment for young people who need NHS mental-health support; the exact offer differs locally. | The NHS says a GP, teacher, school nurse or social worker can connect you with local services, and some services allow self-referral. |
School counselling | Counselling arranged in or through a school or local authority, with different duties across the UK. | Talking through worries, feelings, relationships, bereavement, bullying, stress or other emotional difficulties. | Ask the school, college or local authority contact. In Wales and Scotland, school-counselling arrangements are separate from the England MHST rollout. |
Pastoral or student support | A trusted adult, tutor, head of year, school nurse, safeguarding lead or college student-services team. | A first conversation, help deciding what to do, and support with school or college problems that are affecting your wellbeing. | Ask directly, send a message, or ask a friend, parent, carer or another adult to help you start. |
Urgent mental-health help | Immediate advice or emergency help when waiting is not safe. | If you need urgent mental-health help, life is at risk, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe. | In England, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option for urgent mental-health help. Call 999 or go to A&E if there is immediate danger. |
Does this apply across the UK?
The article is for UK students, but the headline MHST rollout is England-specific. Other UK nations have their own school wellbeing and counselling arrangements.
UK scope for school mental-health support
| Nation | What applies | Student takeaway |
|---|---|---|
England | The GOV.UK rollout figures and DfE MHST guidance apply to England. | Your school or college may already work with an MHST, but not every setting has current access. |
Scotland | The Scottish Government says access to counselling support through secondary schools is in place across Scotland. | Ask your school about counselling or local wellbeing support rather than assuming the England MHST model applies. |
Wales | Welsh Government toolkit material says local authorities must make reasonable provision of independent counselling services for 11 to 18 year olds and Year 6 learners. | Your school or local authority should be able to explain how school or community-based counselling works locally. |
Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland is not covered by the England MHST rollout figures. | Ask your school, GP or local health and social care service which counselling or mental-health support is available locally. |
Key terms in plain English
These terms often appear in school and NHS information.
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs)
NHS-linked teams working with schools and colleges in England to add early mental-health and wellbeing support, advise staff and connect students with specialist services when needed.
Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)
A role in the MHST workforce. DfE says EMHPs work alongside senior clinicians and other professionals as part of MHSTs.
Children and young people’s mental-health services
Local services, usually delivered or funded by the NHS, that support children and young people. The NHS says these can include MHSTs, local mental-health organisations and NHS services sometimes called CAMHS.
CAMHS / CYPMHS
Terms used for NHS mental-health services for children and young people. CAMHS means Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services; CYPMHS means Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services. Names and ways into support vary locally.
School counselling
Counselling arranged in or through school. Availability and legal duties differ across the UK.
Senior mental health lead
A school or college role that develops and oversees a whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.
Confidentiality and safeguarding
Support should be private, but information may need to be shared if someone’s safety is at risk.
Mental-health crisis or emergency
A situation where someone needs urgent mental-health advice or assessment, or emergency help because life is at risk or someone cannot be kept safe.
Sources used in this guide
These sources were used for the figures, definitions, UK-scope caveats and urgent-support wording in this article.
- Open source
GOV.UK: Record numbers of children with mental health support in schools
- Open source
NHS England: Mental health support in schools and colleges
- Open source
DfE: Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges
- Open source
NHS: Children and young people's mental health services
- Open source
NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
- Open source
Scottish Government: Health and wellbeing in schools
- Open source
Welsh Government: School and community-based counselling operating toolkit
- Open source
YoungMinds: Guide to CAMHS
- Open source
Childline: Get support
- Open source
Samaritans: Contact a Samaritan
- Open source
Papyrus: HopeLine 24/7
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Support and clarity
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.
What are Mental Health Support Teams in schools?
Mental Health Support Teams, or MHSTs, are teams working with schools and colleges in England. DfE says they provide early support for common mental-health issues, help mental-health leads build a whole-school or college approach, and link with specialist services when needed.
Can I ask for help from an MHST myself?
Start by asking a trusted adult or student-support contact at school or college. The NHS says a GP, teacher, school nurse or social worker can put a young person in touch with local children and young people’s mental-health services, and some services allow self-referral. The exact way in will depend on your local service.
What can I ask a school mental-health team for help with?
You can ask for help with how you are feeling or coping. NHS examples for children and young people’s mental-health services include low mood, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, bereavement, bullying and difficult experiences. Your school or MHST may help directly or connect you with a more specialist service, depending on your needs.
What is the difference between MHSTs and CAMHS?
MHSTs are linked to schools and colleges in England and focus on early support, school wellbeing and links to other services. CAMHS or CYPMHS are NHS children and young people’s mental-health services; names, support and ways into services vary locally. MHSTs do not replace CAMHS.
Is what I say confidential?
The NHS says: “Anything you say will be confidential unless services are worried about your safety or the safety of someone else.” It is sensible to ask any professional at the start what will stay private and what would need to be shared for safety.
Are teachers expected to become mental-health professionals?
No. MHSTs add mental-health capacity around schools and colleges. School staff may notice concerns, support a whole-school approach and help students connect with the right people, but that is not the same as teachers becoming therapists.
Who should I call in a mental-health crisis?
If you are in England and need urgent mental-health help, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. If someone’s life is at risk, someone has seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E. Childline, Samaritans and Papyrus also offer support options.
Does the MHST rollout apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The rollout figures in this article are for England. Scotland and Wales have separate school wellbeing and counselling arrangements, and Northern Ireland is not covered by the England MHST figures. Ask your school or college which local support applies where you live.
Sources and references
Sources and references
Official guidance
- 1.GOV.UK: Record numbers of children with mental health support in schools
Official announcement for the England MHST rollout figures, school and college setting count, and 2029 access target.
- 2.NHS England: Mental health support in schools and colleges
NHS England page on the MHST rollout in schools and colleges across England and the 2029/30 expansion aim.
- 3.DfE: Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges
England guidance, last updated 28 April 2026, covering MHST functions, senior mental health leads and whole-school or college approaches.
- 4.NHS: Children and young people's mental health services
NHS information on children and young people's mental-health services, support examples, access and confidentiality wording.
- 5.NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
NHS urgent-help guidance covering 111 in England, 999, A&E, free listening services and emergency wording.
- 6.Scottish Government: Health and wellbeing in schools
Scotland school wellbeing and counselling policy page.
- 7.Welsh Government: School and community-based counselling operating toolkit
Welsh Government toolkit explaining counselling provision for 11 to 18 year olds and Year 6 learners.
Other sources
- 1.YoungMinds: Guide to CAMHS
Young-person friendly explanation of CAMHS and CYPMHS terminology.
- 2.Childline: Get support
Childline support options and phone-bill wording for under-19s.
- 3.Samaritans: Contact a Samaritan
Samaritans 116 123 support information and confidentiality guidance.
- 4.Papyrus: HopeLine 24/7
HopeLine 24/7 support details, current phone and text contact details, and confidentiality information.