The Wellbeing and Emotional Support Team (WEST) is a targeted mental health service for vulnerable children and young people aged up to 18 years old and up to 25 for people with special educational needs and disabilities.
WEST provides:
- individual and group evidence-based interventions in schools for children and young people who are experiencing mild to moderate difficulties including anxiety, low mood and behavioural difficulties
- individual and group interventions with parents/carers
- interventions which are focused, goal-based and time limited
- consultation to parents/carers and professionals to offer support and clinical advice
- signposting, training and workshops for professionals.
From February 2023, there is an extended WEST offer – WEST Engage:
WEST Engage works with children and young people who are struggling to attend school, those not currently accessing education, or those who are experiencing mental health difficulties not met by other services. We aim to increase connection for the young person with local services, their community and with education.
WEST Engage provides:
- evidence-based mental health interventions (delivered by Child and Family Specialists who work with children, young people, their families and/or their networks) to promote engagement in services that children and young people are currently isolated from
- consultation to parents/carers and professionals.
Making a referral to WEST and WEST Engage
Referrals can be made by young people, parents, schools and professionals. The young person must be a Brent resident and attend a Brent school/college (with the exception of Brent Looked After children and CYP with an EHCP).
The same referral process is used for for both WEST and WEST Engage and can be done by completing the Wellbeing and Emotional Support Team (WEST) Referral Form.
Please note, The WEST Engage Service will not be continuing from September 2024. This was a-time limited project aimed at trialing a service to support children with emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA). The WEST Service will still be available.