Working with schools to support adolescents in crisis

Adolescents in crisis can often struggle to access school, sometimes leading to their being permanently out of education. Although schools are increasingly well resourced to offer mental health support, such resources can quickly be overwhelmed by an adolescent engaging in risky behaviours, and a narrative that a young person is ‘too unwell to attend’ can all too easily emerge. While superficially supportive, this can, in fact, reinforce the adolescent’s fear that they are unwanted and unmanageable and risk a developmental breakdown. In this chapter, we explore how therapists can work alongside schools to support adolescents in crisis and help them stay connected to their education.