Supporting Youth Mental Health Across Sussex Schools
How Sussex ICB addressed the post-pandemic youth mental health crisis through a comprehensive Wellbeing Passport programme, reducing CAMHS referrals by 32% and supporting 8,500+ young people with early intervention.
1The Challenge
The COVID-19 pandemic left a profound mark on young people's mental health. Sussex ICB identified a 65% increase in urgent referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) between 2020 and 2022. Waiting times for specialist support stretched to over 12 months in some areas, leaving young people and their families struggling without adequate help.
Schools were on the front line but often felt overwhelmed and under-resourced. Teachers and pastoral staff were seeing increasing numbers of students with anxiety, low mood, and self-harm, but lacked the tools to provide structured support or to identify early warning signs before situations escalated.
The system was reactive rather than preventative. Young people typically only came to attention when they were already in crisis—by which point intervention required specialist services that were already at capacity. There was a clear need for earlier identification and school-based support that could prevent escalation.
Additionally, communication between schools, families, GPs, and specialist services was fragmented. Each saw only part of the picture, making coordinated support difficult.
2The Solution
Sussex ICB partnered with TinyMedicalApps to implement the Wellbeing Passport programme across secondary schools, creating a comprehensive approach to youth mental health that emphasised early intervention, self-awareness, and coordinated support.
The Wellbeing Passport gives students a private space to track their mood, identify triggers and coping strategies, set personal wellbeing goals, and access evidence-based resources. Unlike social media or generic apps, the passport was designed specifically for use within an educational context, with appropriate safeguarding built in.
A key innovation was the traffic light system: students could flag when they needed support at three levels—green (routine check-in), amber (something's not right), and red (I need help now). This allowed pastoral staff to triage support effectively while empowering students to ask for help on their own terms.
The programme included extensive training for school staff, creating a network of "Wellbeing Champions" in each school who could provide initial support and refer appropriately. Staff received training in having supportive conversations, recognising warning signs, and using the passport data to inform their approach.
With appropriate consent, passport information can be shared with healthcare providers, creating continuity between school support and clinical services. When a young person is referred to CAMHS, clinicians can see the support already provided and the patterns identified, leading to more informed and efficient assessments.
3The Results
The impact on CAMHS referrals has been significant. Schools participating in the programme have seen a 32% reduction in urgent referrals, as more young people are supported effectively within school before reaching crisis point. When referrals are made, they are more appropriate and accompanied by useful information, leading to faster assessment.
Early intervention is working. 78% of students who flagged concerns through their passport received support before reaching crisis point. The traffic light system has been particularly effective—students report feeling more comfortable asking for help when they can do so digitally and at their chosen level of urgency.
Measurable improvements in wellbeing are evident. 64% of students actively using the passport show improvement in standardised wellbeing scores over a school year. Teachers report that the passport has transformed conversations about mental health, making them more focused and productive.
The programme has also reduced stigma. Students describe the passport as normalising conversations about mental health—it's something everyone has, like tracking physical exercise. This cultural shift has been particularly valuable for boys and young men, who traditionally underreport mental health concerns.
School absence related to mental health has reduced by 23% in participating schools, demonstrating the programme's impact on both wellbeing and educational outcomes.
“The Wellbeing Passport has genuinely changed our approach to student mental health. We used to feel like we were constantly firefighting, responding to crises. Now we can see patterns emerging, we can reach out proactively, and students actually come to us before things get bad. The year 10 student who told me 'my passport helped me understand why I was feeling rubbish'—that's why this matters. We're teaching emotional literacy alongside academic subjects, and the impact is visible every day.”
What's Next
Sussex ICB is extending the programme to include transition support for year 6 students moving to secondary school—a period known to be high-risk for mental health difficulties. Students will be able to bring their wellbeing passport with them, maintaining continuity of support through this significant life change.
A parent and carer module is being developed, allowing families to understand the passport system and engage in supportive conversations at home. Early pilots suggest this family involvement significantly enhances outcomes.
The ICB is also exploring integration with university wellbeing services, recognising that the transition to higher education presents similar challenges and that continuity of support could make a significant difference to student mental health at this crucial time.