The courses are designed for people who are employed as the Mental Health Leads for schools or colleges and will provide them with enhanced knowledge and practical tools to support pupils’ mental health. 

Starting in February 2022, the courses, titled Advanced Mental Health Lead and National Educational Leaders in Mental Health, will be delivered by Leeds Trinity’s Institute of Childhood and Education. 

With a focus on ethos and culture, these courses encourage teaching leaders and strategists to build mental health and wellbeing into the curriculum and across workforce development. 

Both courses are recognised nationally and have been developed by The Root Of It, a specialist leadership, mentoring and mental health education consultancy which works to normalise the mental health spectrum, provide training and remove barriers. 

The course includes training in pupil experience, engagement with parents and carers, mental health interventions and local services. 

The National Educational Leaders in Mental Health courses are designed for senior leaders and individuals in strategic roles interested in having a positive impact in their schools, community and other settings. 

Bev Peartree is Senior Professional Practice Fellow and programme leader for the National Award in Special Educational Needs Coordination and the Master of Arts in Mental Health in Children and Young People at Leeds Trinity University. 

She said: “These exciting and innovative courses will provide the foundation for school improvement work in meeting the needs of all children’s mental health and wellbeing. These courses are fully funded by the Department for Education and will support schools and colleges in developing provision and enhancing the skills of staff. We are very pleased that we can offer these courses alongside our sector-leading MA in Mental Health in Children and Young People.” 

She added: “We are working regionally with a growing group of educational professionals to develop the very best practice in educational mental health, and we see these courses as enhancing this collaborative endeavour.” 

Richard Curtis, mental health expert, mentor and founder of The Root Of It, said: “The pandemic has highlighted the need in schools to understand staff and pupil wellbeing. We are delighted to be working with Leeds Trinity University to help train mental health leaders in schools and colleges across the region. These courses will give educational settings the tools, resources and skills to be able to understand and meet the mental health needs of their community.” 

Registration is now open for February 2022. For more information about the courses at Leeds Trinity and to register, visit the website.