Schools and Colleges Early Support Service
An online whole-school emotional wellbeing support offer from Anna Freud.
The Schools and Colleges Early Support Service is for young people aged 11-25 experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties like anxiety and low mood, and the trusted adults around them.
About the service
As government initiatives catch up to demand for young people with a likely mental health condition, another 12–15% would benefit from early wellbeing support. The Schools and Colleges Early Support Service aims to help close this gap. It is the only whole-school online service, delivered by expert practitioners and underpinned by the latest evidence on preventing mental ill health.
We’ve innovated this service with schools and colleges to create the best range of offers to grow mentally healthy communities: short-term therapeutic support, single-session consultations and psychoeducational webinars.
Our evidence-based early support interventions help young people express their needs, find solutions and build practical strategies to support their wellbeing long-term. We work collaboratively with students as experts in their own lives, alongside our practitioners guidance and knowledge.
Our whole-school approach mobilises trusted adults to promote a supportive school community. Through our webinars and 1:1 support for school staff, parents and carers, we help them to spot and tackle mental health difficulties early.
What we offer
Young people
Six to eight weekly 1:1 support sessions for 11-25 year olds
Single session 1:1 consultation for 16-25 year olds
On-demand psychoeducation webinars
Teachers and School Staff
One to two termly 1:1 consultations
On-demand psychoeducation webinars
Parents and Carers
Single session 1:1 consultations
Live and on-demand psychoeducation webinars
Why this service?
Our offers include:
accessible, person-centred help for students aged 11–25 with mild to moderate mental health needs
dedicated point of contact for onboarding, queries, troubleshooting and feedback
bespoke, secure digital platform
compassionate assessments so every referral results in the right support
expert safeguarding advice and support
coproduced outcome measures
unlimited referrals to 1:1 offers
unlimited access to recorded webinars
designed to complement the services your school or college may already be using
Our impact
“It has particularly helped some pupils who find it difficult to communicate on a face-to-face basis and are quiet and reserved in this context. She said our online video call method has really engaged them and they have come away with a toolbox of strategies that work for them moving forwards.” (Headteacher)
“These sessions [...] made such a difference to my child’s confidence and ability to communicate their feelings.” (Parent/Carer)
71% of young people have showed improvement in levels of anxiety and depression
90% of parents and carers said they gained useful skills and knowledge
89% of staff strongly agreed or agreed sessions were helpful
Find out more
For further information or to sign up for the Service for the academic year 2024-2025, please email info.scess@annafreud.org.