1 in 10 schools in Greater Manchester to receive mental health support

This week, it was announced that the Greater Manchester Mentally Healthy Schools and Colleges programme is to be expanded from 64 to 125 schools, colleges and pupil referral units. Commissioned by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, this project is part of a £134m action plan to help to transform mental health in Greater Manchester for children and adults. 

The programme

Place2Be has been a partner of the Greater Manchester Mentally Healthy Schools and Colleges programme since it first launched in March 2018, alongside Alliance for Learning, Youth Sports Trust, 42nd Street and local children and adults mental health services.

In the first two phases of the programme, Place2Be delivered Mental Health Champions (MHC) training to 150 senior leaders from 79 schools. Our MHC School Leader training draws on over 20 years' direct experience of working in schools to support School Leadership Teams to take steps towards becoming 'mentally healthy' school communities. Phase 2 also saw us deliver tailored one to one counselling with a trained counsellor in 27 primary schools.

Phase 3 begins in September 2019, with Place2Be delivering training to a further 61 schools, and continues the delivery of one-to-one interventions to 58 primary schools; those 31 schools from the first two phases, along with 27 additional schools.

Place2Be’s impact

Through the Greater Manchester Mentally Healthy Schools and Colleges programme, Place2Be will have trained over 270 senior leaders from 140 schools and colleges as Mental Health Champions by July 2020. These newly trained Mental Health Champions will be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to bring about strategic change to create 'mentally healthy' schools.

The provision of a Place2Be trained mental health practitioner in 58 primary schools will deliver one to one counselling and parental support to up to 290 children and parents each week.

Find out more about the Greater Manchester Mentally Healthy Schools and Colleges programme

Learn more about our Mental Health Champions – School Leader training