Targeted mental health in schools: outputs from a qualitative appraisal of the TaMHS Programme in Cumbria

In Cumbria, the year-long TaMHS project concluded at the end of March 2011 after formal work in schools had begun in September 2010, supported by a steering group including senior managers from Children’s Services and the NHS. Eighteen schools, in three clusters across the county itself, were supported. These clusters each included a secondary school and partner primary schools, plus one PRU. The appraisal is based on rigorous qualitative investigation of 30 semi-structured interviews, each between 20 and 30 minutes in length, using a purposive sample of participants composed of TaMHS leads at participating schools (n=13), involved members of staff at these schools (n=11) and mental health professionals seconded to TaMHS from Cumbrian mental health services (n=6). Thematic analysis of the collected evidence revealed eleven central issues, closely related to the priority concerns outlined by the commissioning body. Synthesis of the data revealed that the TaMHS project in Cumbria was, on the whole, very well received by professionals in education and mental health alike, and produced concrete positive impacts. Respondents involved in the appraisal identified many encouraging aspects. Only one of thirty respondents was broadly negative about the project, while the others reported a wide range of successes in a variety of structural, social and psychological domains, and tangible benefits for professional staff, students and students’ families.