The Provision of a Mental Health Service for Children and Young People (CYP) with Learning Disability and/or Autism, including Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) Supporting CYP with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Specialist Mental Health Service for Children & Young People (CYP) with a Learning Disability and/or who are autistic. The service supports the mental health needs of CYP who have complex needs and present with significant communication challenges, as a result of their Learning Disability and or autism that require specialist approaches to mental health support. These often do not appear in isolation and many of CYP will experience co-occurring difficulties, such as: • Emotional dysregulation • Behaviours of concern[2] (includes CYP with LD and/or ASD that may show behaviours of concern that seem unrelated to mental health at first but underlying mental health needs often become clearer once support begins) • Sleep difficulties, feeding difficulties, and toileting difficulties • Withdrawal from usual activities significantly impacting activities of daily living (ADL) • Sensory processing difficulties In addition, Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) provide early help mental health support for pupils (reception to year 13*) with mild to moderate difficulties who are on roll at education settings within Hertfordshire.