Brent TaMHS Mainstreaming Plan
10th January 2011
Sarah Cooper
Brent School Improvement Services
Primary PSHE/SEAL Consultant & TaMHS Project
Manager
T: 0208 937 3354
E: sarah.cooper@brent.gov.uk
Brent TaMHS (Phase 2)
Marlborough Project – multi-family therapy
groups been running since Oct 2009. Move
towards costing formula to sustain project.
 2010-11 introduction of 2 training programmes
to extend knowledge and learning from pilot and
publicise MP:
(1) mental health awareness training for
school-based staff
(2) mental health awareness training for
parenting practitioners in the wider
community

(1) MH training for schoolbased staff
6 half day sessions – 3 for primary and 3 for
secondary
 Audience – SENCOs, Inclusion Managers,
teachers and teaching support staff
 Facilitated by EIWs and voluntary sector
(Gill Allen)
 Focus of individual sessions:
Classroom behaviour, engagement and
learning
Depression and developing resilience
Attachment – risk and protective factors

Objectives
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To raise awareness among school staff about
identification and assessment of mental
health issues in children and signposting to
appropriate agencies
Promoted to schools as a school
improvement tool ie. removing barriers to
learning
Seen as a way of widening work beyond
initial pilot, publicising MP, further developing
partnership working
Setting up the programme
Steering Group reps and Marlborough
staff met to devise programme
 Integrated into SIS’s ongoing CPD
programme for schools, courses booked
through CPD Online and delivered at
Centre for Staff Development
 Publicity included initial letter to Heads
and Inclusion Managers, course flyers for
each session, email reminders

Feedback
Evaluations completed at end of each session
and through CPD Online at later date
 Attendance high –
 25 out of 30 places filled for session 1 &
30 out of 30 filled for session 2
 23 schools represented (inc. 3 from MP pilot
schools), 6 SIS staff also attended sessions
 Feedback – v. positive
 90% of participants rated sessions as 1 (1 is
highest, 4 is lowest) and 10% rated sessions as 2

Some comments
“ some excellent strategies which I can use with staff in a whole school
training session”
“ good thinking space and refreshing to look at different ways of
remaining curious”
“ I have a better understanding of CAMHS services and the different
tiers of provision”
“ session has helped me to think about non-stigmatising language - start
using the term ‘mental ill-health’ to mean difficulties rather than ‘mental
health’ ”
“ some nice practical ideas eg. Happy Box”
“ as SENCO found the session excellent for early intervention”
“ this should be compulsory training in all primary schools”
“ increase the time to a full day”
“ take this training into schools”
(2) MH training for parenting
practitioners
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Same process as for training for school staff
Different audience – parenting practitioners in schools and the
local community ie. staff working directly with parents
Different focus eg.
 parental involvement in children’s learning
 positive parenting
 nurture groups
 domestic violence
 ADHD
 autism and challenging behaviour
 children with physical health problems
 the importance of play
 trauma and bereavement
 depression, self-harm & suicidality
Next steps
End product – booklet of materials for all
schools that attended – share resources
with all schools through SIS’s MLE
 Planning next year’s session in light of
sessions evaluations and overall evaluation
with schools at end of year
 Consider different levels of training –
NQTs, introductory days, ongoing CPD,
accredited course

Key contacts
Who organises central professional
development for teachers in your LA?
 Links within School Improvement –
Adviser for Inclusion/SEN/EHWB/PSHE
(Healthy Schools/SEAL)
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