Background
The Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service (EHWS) launched in January 2018, and covers Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The service was created due to the recognition that there was a local gap in provision of service within the “Getting Advice” and “Getting Help” quadrants of the THRIVE model, adopted in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Who are we?
The EHWS comprises of a range of staff from a variety of professional backgrounds.
- The Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (EHWP) are a multi-disciplinary team, coming from a variety of professions, including School Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Paediatric Nursing, Health Visiting, and Social Work.
- The Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners (CWP’s) have psychology related degrees and complete the post graduate certificate in Children and Young People’s Psychological Wellbeing Practice.
The EHWS is led by a Clinical Psychologist, and supported by an Assistant Psychologist and Administrative Assistant countywide.
What do the EHWP’s do?
The team operate a duty system, offering telephone support to professionals from education settings (primary, secondary, colleges and special schools). Part of the EHWP’s role is to support professionals to ‘system navigate’ around the complex network of support available for children and young people with emotional and mental health needs. They work with professionals, to signpost, advise and support referrals to the wider emotional health and wellbeing services. The team work closely with the Early Help Hubs and the CAMH Single Point of Access (SPA).
They can offer more in depth support, where they can visit staff at schools to provide consultation (with parent/carers consent) and training to support professionals develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of emotional health and wellbeing issues to more effectively and confidently deliver support. They also now provide staff support sessions to education establishments, which focus on staff wellbeing.
Although any professional from any education establishment can call the duty line for support and advice, the training and consultation offer varies across the regions. In East Cambs, Fenland and Peterborough it is specific to primary, secondary schools and colleges, but in Huntingdon and Cambridge it is currently focused mainly on primary schools.
What do the CWP’s do?
In the August of 2018, the EHWS expanded to include Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners (CWP’s). The CWP’s offer Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) informed guided self-help for mild to moderate anxiety, low mood and behaviour difficulties.
CWPs support children, young people and parents who:
- Live in Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Fenland and Peterborough
- Who may have mild-moderate anxiety or low mood
- Who may have mild-moderate behavioural difficulties
- Are motivated to make changes
CWPs work with children who are:
- Aged between 5-18 years old for anxiety (for primary aged children, the work will focus with the parents, and if they are secondary aged, with the young people directly)
- Aged between 11-18 years old for low mood (work is with the young people)
- Aged between 5-8 years old for behavioural difficulties (work is with the parents)
Accessing either strand of the service is through the EHWS duty line, which operates Monday to Friday, 9:30 to 16:30. Please note this is only available for professionals.
If you are a parent / carer concerned about your child or young person and believe the EHWS may be a help to your family, please do speak to your school and ask them to contact us directly.
Tel: 0300 555 50 60 or email: [email protected]
Visit our website EHWS Survey of Need Report Presentation July 2020 EHWS Survey of Need Report July 2020