HC Deb 23 October 2002 vol 391 cc382-3W
Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 19 September,Official Report, column 121W, on mental health, if schools (a) are obliged to promote the mental health of their pupils, (b) have a mechanism for detecting mental health problems and (c) have regular contact with the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. [76579]

Stephen Twigg

My hon. Friend David Miliband, in his written answer of 19 September, outlined the ways the Secretary of State aims to ensure that children's mental health needs are being met. In June 2001 the Department issued guidance, Promoting Children'sMental Health within Early Years and School Settings. This is strongly recommended and we would expect schools to have regard to it.

The guidance is designed to help teachers and others working alongside mental health professionals to identify children and young people's mental health needs, and sets out useful approaches for how these needs might be met. The advice in the guidance is backed up by illustrative case studies.

The guidance also includes a section on the work of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The Department commissioned a research project into effective collaboration between schools and CAMHS which will be available later this year.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 19 September,Official Report, column 121W, on mental health if (a) BEST teams members will receive training in children's mental health and (b) BEST teams will contain mental health specialists. [76580]

Stephen Twigg

The aims of Behaviour and Educational Support Teams (BESTs) are to promote emotional well-being, positive behaviour and school attendance among children and young people. They help in the identification and support of those with, or at risk of developing, emotional and behavioural problems, through the provision of multi-agency support in schools and to individual families.

BESTs will take part in training which covers many areas of multi-agency working and related subject areas. This will include children's mental health issues.

There are a number of professional disciplines which may be appropriately represented within the BEST. The precise skills balance will be decided locally, in line with the priorities agreed for the BEST, provision already available in schools and the resource available across the LEA and partner agencies. DfES guidelines suggest teams should contain a complementary mix of education, social work and health skills in order to meet the multi-faceted needs of children, young people and their parents.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 19 September,Official Report, column 121W, on mental health, if Ofsted's draft framework for inspection requires an inspection of schools' ability to promote pupils' mental health and detect and handle pupils' mental health problems. [76581]

Stephen Twigg

This is a matter for the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell will write to the hon. Gentleman and a copy will be placed in the Library.