Department For Education
We are offering a grant of 1,200 for eligible state-funded schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead.
This training is not compulsory, but is part of the governments commitment to offer this training to all eligible schools and colleges by 2025.
Training will support the senior mental health leads to develop and implement a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. They must start their training by 31 March 2025.
Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and collegeshas guidance on developing an effective approach to mental health and wellbeing.
Eligibility
State-funded schools and colleges in England are eligible to apply for a grant. This includes those in receipt of:
- Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) pre-16 revenue
- high needs block
- 16 to 19 programme funding
You may be able to apply for a second grant if your senior mental health lead left before embedding a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. See the conditions of grant for more information.
What the training covers
Grants should cover (or contribute to) the cost of attending a quality assured course. You can also use it to hire supply staff while leads are training.
Read the to find out more. These align with the principles of promoting children and young peoples emotional health and wellbeing.
Who the training is for
Schools and colleges can decide who is best placed to take on the role of senior mental health lead and undertake the training. Every settings circumstances are different.
Identifying your senior mental health lead
Training could be for 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 the training
- meet the learning outcomes for the training
- develop and implement a new approach to mental health and wellbeing
Existing mental health leads
You can use the grant to train existing mental health leads, or someone who has completed other mental health and wellbeing training. Existing mental health leads might wish 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
Before you apply
Before you apply for a training grant, check you meet all the criteria set out in the conditions of grant. This includes:
- committing to develop or implement a whole school or college approach to mental health
- identifying a senior mental health lead to oversee your whole school or college approach
- confirming your lead is available to start training by 31 March 2025
Apply for a senior mental health lead training grant
You need to complete all these steps to receive your senior mental health lead training grant.
Complete application form 1 to reserve a grant. This form checks your eligibility. You will need to make a series of declarations as described in the conditions of grant.
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.
You must submit application form 2 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 by the deadline provided, we may release your place to other applicants on our waitlist to ensure grants do not go unclaimed.
If you are applying for a second grant, make sure you tick the declaration to confirm your previous senior mental health lead has left your setting. We 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 .
Visit Leeds Beckett Universitys online tool for choosing a senior mental health lead training course.
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:
- June 2024
- September 2024
- December 2024
- March 2025
Academies will get their payments on the first working day of:
- July 2024
- October 2024
- 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.