GovWire

Senior mental health lead training grants

From October 2021 to December 2024, schools and colleges could apply for a senior mental health lead training grant. The deadline to apply for the grant was 31 December 2024.

The senior mental health lead training grant can be used to:

• cover (or contribute to) the cost of attending a quality assured course for their senior mental health lead
• hire supply staff while leads are training

This guidance is for those who:

• applied for training by 31 December 2024
• need to book training and complete their application by 31 January 2025

We will provide information for schools and colleges who want to self-fund training for their lead as part of continuing professional development, as soon as it is available.

What the training covers

Learning outcomes for senior mental health lead training (PDF, 172 KB, 9 pages) has information about what courses covering a particular area should be aiming to cover.

These outcomes align with the principles of a whole school or college approach to mental health or wellbeing in promoting children and young peoples mental health and wellbeing.

Senior mental health lead roles

Schools and colleges decide who is best placed to take on the role of senior mental health lead and undertake training. Every settings circumstances are different.

Identifying your senior mental health lead

Your lead could be your:

• headteacher
• deputy headteacher
• member of the senior leadership team (SLT)
• a member of staff who can develop and oversee your settings whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing

If your senior lead is not a member of your SLT, consider whether they have the authority, capacity and support to influence and lead strategic change.

You will need to make sure your senior mental health lead has sufficient time and capacity to:

• complete training
• meet the learning outcomes for training
• develop and implement a new approach to mental health and wellbeing

Existing mental health leads

Existing mental health leads might wish to access training to:

• develop or refresh their knowledge and skills in specific priority areas
• get more advanced training
• get a relevant qualification

Mental health support teams (MHSTs)

If you are already working with an MHST, your nominated senior lead can also be:

• your MHST coordinator
• responsible for liaising with the team
• a different member of staff

How to complete your application

You need to complete both steps to receive your senior mental health lead training grant.

1. If you completed application form 1 to reserve a grant when the application window was open, you will receive confirmation that we have successfully received your grant registration. This will tell you to book a DfE quality assured training course. The course needs to start by 31 March 2025. Keep evidence of your booking as you will need this when you submit application form 2.

2. You must submit application form 2 by 31 January 2025 to claim your grant. This form asks you to provide evidence of booking a DfE quality assured course. This can be a scanned copy, screenshot or photograph of your confirmation email or invoice from your training provider.

You will have at least 3 weeks to submit the second form. If you do not submit within 3 weeks, we may release your place to other applicants on our waiting list to ensure grants do not go unclaimed.

If your school or college is applying for a second grant, make sure you tick the declaration to confirm your previous senior mental health lead has left your setting. DfE will not pay your grant if you do not confirm this.

Find a senior mental health lead training course

The training course must be a DfE assured senior mental health lead training course (PDF, 608 KB, 29 pages).

The tool allows you to assess your specific learning needs and preferences. You can then select the most suitable quality assured course. Use the contact details for the course provider to book your selected senior mental health lead course.

Payments

Once you have submitted evidence of your course booking in the second online form, we will review the information provided. We will email you to let you know we have approved your application and confirm when your grant will be paid.

We will make payments on a quarterly basis. When you receive your grant will depend on when you complete application form 2.

Most settings will get their payments on the last working day of:

• December 2024
• March 2025

Academies will get their payments on the sixth working day of:

• January 2025
• April 2025

Maintained schools and maintained alternative provision settings will receive payment via their local authority. All other settings will receive payment directly.

We will make this payment alongside your regular funding. It will appear as a separate line on that remittance.