Supporting Senior Mental Health Leads to further develop their Whole School Approach through the implementation of an evidencebased Wellbeing Charter Mark Tool: Reflections on challenges and implications for practice from the perspective of an Educational Psychology Service

This article focuses on the experiences of Local Authority (LA) employed Educational Psychologists (EPs) supporting Senior Mental Health Leads (SMHLs) to develop whole school approaches (WSA) to emotional health and wellbeing as part of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in UK educational settings. It highlights three key challenges: differing professional understandings of WSA between education and health partners, difficulties in genuine partnership working due to siloed leadership and separate management structures, and limited capacity within schools to engage in systemic change amid increasing pressures. The article recommends greater integration of EPs in MHST leadership, enhanced training for Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) on educational contexts, and improved impact measurement focusing on long-term systemic change rather than short-term contact numbers. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of flexible, education-sensitive models and collaborative approaches to effectively support children and young people's mental health in schools.