In June the DfE announced the introduction of the senior lead mental heath training grant:
'The Department for Education (DfE) is offering a £1,200 grant for a senior member of school or college staff to access quality assured training to implement an effective whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing in your setting. Grants of £1,200 will be available to around a third of all eligible state schools and colleges in England in the 2021 to 2022 financial year. This is part of the government’s commitment to offer this training to all eligible schools and colleges by 2025.
The grant is provided to cover (or contribute to) the cost of attending a quality assured course and may also be used to hire supply staff whilst leads are engaged in learning.' (www.gov.uk)
We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in bidding to become a DfE quality assured course provider. Our new DfE quality-assured intermediate level training programme will be launched from February 2022.
The 'Developing a whole school approach to leading mental health in your school' programme will be available to all schools in the Yorkshire and Humber region and is aimed at leaders in school who are familiar with the role and / or have 'completed limited senior mental health leadership training' already. IF you are unasure if this level of training will be right for you please do get in touch for a chat.
Eligible schools can apply for £1,200 of DfE funding to cover the full cost of attending this quality assured programme (£899) and you may also use the funding grant to hire supply staff whilst leads are engaged in learning.
Our grant funded, DfE assured, programme will include:
- one day initial face to face training in Leeds,
- online SEMH audit tools,
- enabling you to assess your whole school provision and identify areas for improvement,
- online pupil perception survey tool,
- enabling you to gather data about whole school mental health and wellbeing,
- virtual coaching support from experienced school practitioners,
- enabling you to gain one to one support and guidance throughout the programme,
- peer to peer support networks,
- enabling to you share best practice and learn from other senior mental health leads,
- an in school review
- enabling you to work with an experienced school practitioner to acknowledge strengths and areas for improvement.
- additional training opportunities,
- ensuring that you are fully supported and have up to date information throughout the programme.
The course will cover all eight of the learning outcomes put forward by the DfE;
1) Leadership and management;
2) Identifying need and monitoring impact of interventions;
3) Targeted support and appropriate referrals;
4) Staff development;
5) Creating an ethos and environment;
6) Enabling the student voice;
7) Working with parents, families, and carers and
8) Curriculum, teaching and learning.
If you would like to know more or would like to register an interest in the programme please e mail schoolwellbeing@leeds.gov.uk.