Glossary of terms
Liverpool Whole School Approach (WSA)
A city-wide partnership approach to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children/young people, families, and staff within education.
Education Mental Health Teams
Three multi-disciplinary teams (North, South, Central) working across all Liverpool schools and colleges to provide mental health support across all levels of need.
Levels of need
Used to help education providers and services to determine the type of support that might be needed for children/young people. There are 4 levels:
Green = Prevention and early identification. This level is for all children and young people and represents the basic level of mental health awareness and support strategies that all children and young people need for positive emotional wellbeing.
Yellow = Early Intervention. At this level of need, children/young people will be showing early signs of distress that may be the start of an immerging mental health issue. Short-term interventions that build coping strategies are given to prevent these issues from developing – small changes to prevent bigger challenges.
Orange = Intervention. At this level, children and young people will need more specific support as their mental health problem will be more developed and significantly impacting their day to day life. There may also be other complexities such as trauma or neurodevelopmental conditions. Interventions are chosen to suit the needs of each child/young person and will vary in modality, and intensity.
Red = High-Level Intervention. At this level, children and young people will need high-level support for mental health conditions that require support from Alder Hey Fresh CAMHS. Children may be at crisis point, require medication, or several different types of specialist support.
Mental Health Lead (operational)
All Liverpool schools have been asked to identify a member of staff to act as their mental health lead contact. They are the people who directly liaise with the Education Mental Health Support Teams.
Whole School Approach Strategic Lead
This is the strategic mental health lead in schools and should ideally be someone from the senior leadership team. They may also be the mental health lead in school.
Mental Health Support Teams
Attached to the Education Mental Health Schools’ Teams, these teams provide support to children and young people in Liverpool Primary Schools and work with Wellbeing clinics to provide transition support into Liverpool Secondary Schools. The Team consists of EMHPs/Advanced EMHPs and Senior Mental Health Practitioners.
Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs)
Provide low-level interventions for children and young people and their parents/carers at the yellow level of need. These include 1:1 work, group work, and workshops.
Advanced EMHP
These are experienced education mental health practitioner who can support children at the yellow/orange level. They also supervise EMHPs.
Senior Mental Health Practitioner
Working as part of the MHST, they provide orange/red level support and assessments for children and young people in schools, consultation to schools and specialist training. They also lead the MHSTs.
Clinical Lead
Has oversight over the work of the MHST and co-ordinates, along with the WSA project manager, the work of the Education Mental Health Schools’ Team.
Alder Hey Fresh CAMHS
Provide high-level intervention based at Alder Hey.
Liverpool WSA CAMHS Pathway
A multi-agency CAMHS pathway for schools across all levels of need.