DfE - Senior Mental Health Lead Training (from 2021)
These courses are available for schools in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) area.
BSW Together is an integrated care system (ICS) made up of NHS and local authority organisations working together.
B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire Councils provide this course, that has been assessed as meeting the required quality criteria to deliver the DfE grant funded senior mental health lead training for schools and colleges.
If you have already booked on the BSW course, you don't need to apply for another course (using the national DfE course finder), even if prompted when you apply for your grant.
Between September 2021 and March 2023 the DfE have offered 2/3 of schools or colleges in England a grant for training to help the lead develop or introduce a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. Further funding is expected after this period up to 2025.
Taking a coordinated and evidence-informed approach to mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges leads to improved pupil and student emotional health and wellbeing which can help readiness to learn.
The grant is a contribution to the cost of training and the hiring of supply staff whilst leads are engaged in learning.
This is part of a range of government funded mental health support for schools and colleges that also includes:
- Wellbeing for education recovery
- The Link Programme
- Relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) training module
- Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs)
- Psychological first aid training
How to obtain your grant of £1200
Book on an assured course (for example the one for BSW @ £160)
Keep evidence of booking, which must be supplied on request*
Apply for you grant here - you can now claim for courses starting by 31st March 2023.
*Schools booking the BSW course will need to provide proof of booking which will need to quote:
- Course code: SMHL001
- Provider: Bath & North East Somerset Council
- Course Title: Senior Mental Health Leadership in B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire
- Price: £160
This will be sent to you by your contact at B&NES, Swindon or Wiltshire Council following your booking.
Course content
By the end of the course you will have:
- Understood the role of the Senior Mental Health Lead
- Explored personal attitudes and values and examined local data
- Identified those issues pertinent to the pupils in your school and be able to plan to meet these
- Gained confidence to embed a whole school approach to mental health in school
- Considered services and provisions within the Local Authority
BSW Senior Mental Health Leads Network
These network sessions are held three times a year and will focus on supporting the role of the Senior Mental Health Leads in schools and colleges.
These are optional sessions for any schools in B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire that have previously attended a Senior Mental Health Lead training course. They are useful opportunities for schools to ask questions, share good practice and hear the latest local and national updates. The focus will be on implementing a whole school and college approach to mental health. These meetings are free and take place from 3:30-5pm online.
Future SMHL networks:
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26th April 2023 Booking for Wiltshire schools
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20th September 2023 Booking for Wiltshire schools
- 6th February 2024 Booking for Wiltshire schools
- 3rd July 2024 Booking for Wiltshire schools
Course dates (booking now closed for BSW course)
Cohort 4: Wednesday 15th March 2023 & Session 2: Half day: Thursday 18th May 2023. 9am-12:30pm (online).
Cohort 3: 28th September 2022 & Session 2: Half day: Thursday 23rd March 2023 (previously 8th February 2023). 9am-12:30pm (online).
Cohort 2: 20th January 2022 & 23rd June 2022.
Cohort 1: 10th November 2021 & 23rd March 2022.
Local contacts
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B&NES: Clare Laker (Public Health Development and Commissioning Manager, Bath and North East Somerset Council) Clare_Laker@BATHNES.GOV.UK
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Swindon: Caroline Gaulton CGaulton@swindon.gov.uk
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Wiltshire: Nick Bolton (Personal Development Adviser, Wiltshire Council) nick.bolton@wiltshire.gov.uk