Norfolk Children Services and Norfolk and Waveney ICB have been selected to work with Anna Freud Centre, The Charlie Waller Foundation and the National Children’s Bureau to coproduce, deliver and evaluate a mental health training programme for the children’s workforce. As one of only two areas selected to take part in the pilot, it’s an amazing opportunity for us to shape a national training programme.  

Why is the training being developed?

There is an urgent need to respond to the significant rise in anxiety and low self-esteem amongst children and young people and for a more preventative, whole systems approach to be implemented nationally. There is currently no mandatory mental health training for the 7.6 million members of staff in the wider children’s workforce.

What are the aims of the training?

The training will provide simple, practical tools for staff working across Norfolk, outside of the existing CYP mental health workforce, to help them feel more confident:

•         Identifying early signs of mental health needs

•         Speaking about mental health concerns and knowing what to say

•         Offering support and signposting resources for low-level issues

•         Knowing where to go for more specialist help

Our multi-professional children’s workforce will be equipped with the understanding, knowledge, and skills to support early identification of and provision of help for children, young people, and families with mental health needs through taking part in the training. Helping us to build a more mentally healthy society.

The training package will be coproduced with young people, parents, and carers, as well as representatives from the children’s workforce, and stakeholders from HEE, NHSE&I, the Department for Education (DfE), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS).