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