Mental health experts, alongside governmental health agencies, have been increasingly advocating that schools should not simply ‘identify and refer’ but also provide increased support for those at the pre-clinical threshold level.
Schools and colleges need dedicated and highly qualified support as part of the school team.
Since 2017, Minds Ahead has been working with mental health, educational and policy colleagues to design a professional development programme to create a new cadre of mental health specialists working in schools.
School Mental Health Specialists (SMHS) perform a ‘hands on’ role, focused on direct work in supporting pupils, liaising with parents and external agencies.
Headteachers are telling us that their School Mental Health Specialists have improved their understanding of the key issues in their schools and are coming up with significant ideas to improve policy and practice, which schools are embracing.
Does your school have a School Mental Health Specialist?
The School Mental Health Specialist role
The role of a School Mental Health Specialist is rooted in the school community and uniquely combines the capacity to deliver whole-school interventions as well as work one-to-one with individual children and families.
If you don’t already have a School Mental Health Specialist in your school or college team, chances are you have someone who would be well suited to the role. Does the following sound like you or a colleague?
- You’re naturally skilled at building rapport with pupils and motivated more by a holistic approach to education than by specific subject teaching.
- You’re seen as approachable and often one of the people whom staff and students gravitate to if they need support and understanding.
- You spot early warning signs and tend to handle higher numbers of mental health and other disclosures than other staff.
- You do significant and invaluable work with limited recognition or formal training.
If this sounds familiar, read on to find out more about the specialist professional training and qualification you can apply for now.
School Mental Health Specialist PGDip or Master’s
The School Mental Health Specialist is a postgraduate programme developed by Minds Ahead in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University.
It has been jointly designed and informed by school leaders, educational experts and mental health professionals. It is also DfE approved, meaning that schools can access a grant to cover part of the fees.
The first of its kind, it is the only postgraduate programme exclusively for school colleagues wishing to develop specialist knowledge in the emerging area of public mental health.
The course is online and part-time. Modules include:
- promoting protective factors for good mental health
- early identification of mental support needs
- supporting children and young people with mental health needs
- working with parents, carers and outside agencies
Participants will develop the confidence and skills to effectively support mental health needs of pupils, staff and parents in their school community which they practise alongside studying.
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To find out more about the programme, source content, costs and funding options, download a free brochure here.
- The School Mental Health Specialist programme is DfE approved so state schools and colleges in England can use the 2022 DfE grant to part-fund the programme.
- As the programme starts in September, schools and colleges should apply in the round of grant funding to commence training in September 2022. DfE School Mental Health Lead training grants from round one or two cannot be used for training courses in September 2022. For more information visit gov.uk.
- MA students can apply for a postgraduate loan through gov.uk should they wish to fund that way.
- You will need to have the support of the headteacher to undertake the programme and have time to complete the modules, apply the learning in your setting and complete the assignments. All students will have access to Leeds Beckett University extensive student support services.
How to apply
The next cohort of practitioners will start in September 2022. Click here to view the online application form.
Over 3,000 teachers, support staff, educational leaders and governors have attended Minds Ahead programmes, including 60+ school and college leaders who have attained their postgraduate status in educational mental health leadership.
Now, more than ever, every school needs a member of the team to become highly qualified in mental health support.
Get in touch with the team by emailing info@mindsahead.org.uk
