Online wellbeing service improves depression and anxiety levels for 70% of young people

More than 70% of young people aged 11 to 15 showed improved levels of depression and anxiety after support from an online mental wellbeing service, according to a report from Anna Freud.¹

The Schools and Colleges Early Support Service (SCESS) is delivered by the charity for young people in England and Scotland experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, like anxiety and low mood. It’s open to schools and colleges and includes one-to-one support for 11–15-year-olds, and a self-referral option for those aged 16-25.

Data from 154 schools enrolled from 2022-23 also revealed that 69% of young people aged 11 to 15 saw ‘a meaningful change’ towards reaching their goals set through the programme.² These goals, which are personalised with each young person, can be anything from better managing anxiety and stress to coping with loneliness and improving relationships.

The digital service offers support including webinars and one-to-one consultations for school staff, parents and carers, with data revealing benefits for them too. For example, 90% of over 550 parents and carers who attended an educational webinar said they gained useful skills and knowledge for supporting their children. ³

Anna Freud is now inviting schools and colleges to register interest in the service - which is delivered by expert practitioners - for the upcoming academic year.

The charity has been supporting children and young people for over 70 years and offers training, schools support, networks, partnerships and resources to equip those who impact children and young people’s lives with the knowledge and skills to support their mental health.⁴

SCESS was developed by Anna Freud during the Covid-19 pandemic when children and young people’s mental health needs were exacerbated by lockdowns and disruptions to normal school access and routines. It has since been piloted by the charity to offer early support to those experiencing challenges with their mental health but may not qualify for NHS services.

As outlined in Anna Freud’s recently launched Thinking Differently, one in five young people in England has a probable mental health disorder and, while requests for services have more than doubled since 2018, only 32% more children and young people are being seen compared to March 2021.⁵ The charity is calling for improved access to preventative mental health programmes in schools – like SCESS – to support children and young people with mild to moderate needs and ease pressure on specialist services.

Jaime Smith MBE, Director of Schools at Anna Freud, said:

“Thousands of young people, parents, carers and school staff have benefitted from the Schools and Colleges Early Support Service since it launched in 2020 and we look forward to welcoming more schools and colleges in September.

“This digital early intervention service aims to support young people experiencing difficulties with their mental health before problems become more entrenched, helping them to build resilience and develop effective coping strategies.

“Crucially, SCESS takes a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing. By mobilising school and college staff, parents and carers alongside young people, the service strives to create a supportive community where mental health difficulties can be spotted and tackled as soon as possible.”

Jo Darbyshire’s 13-year-old daughter was supported by SCESS from April to June this year after experiencing difficulties settling into secondary school. Jo, who lives near Brighton, said:

“Starting a new school was hard for my daughter and her behaviour and attendance got worse over time. She didn’t understand why she kept getting into trouble, which made her feel confused, depressed and reluctant to go in. It was a horrible cycle we felt stuck in.

“While her school was supportive, nothing really changed. I thought, if she spoke to someone she wasn’t already connected to, that could help her open up, and a teacher referred her to SCESS. She really engaged with the service and quickly built up a good relationship with her practitioner. She liked having someone to talk to.

“The support my daughter received from Anna Freud was amazing. She now has information on what could trigger her and is armed with coping mechanisms, allowing her to manage situations in a way she feels comfortable with. There’s still a lot work she needs to do, but it’s been incredible to see the difference the service has made.”

Steve Crane, Assistant Head Teacher at Sale Grammar School in Manchester, said:

“We signed up to SCESS in 2020 and it provided a much-needed avenue of one-to-one support for students. At the time, our in-house counsellor was booked up and lots of young people were stuck on waiting lists for local mental health services.

“Another big win has been the awareness raised amongst parents and carers, who previously lacked information on issues their children were experiencing. It’s been great to see their engagement with the digital service, which is really easy for them to access.

“Over the past few years, we’ve transformed our mental health and wellbeing provision, largely thanks to direction from Anna Freud. This service has helped us move the whole school community’s mental health in the right direction, providing us with the tools and confidence to better deal with mental health challenges.”

Find out more and register for the service here.