Provide training for staff with responsibilities for mental health and wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing training for staff

On this page you can find information about:

• how to identify training needs

• sources of free and paid training.

Building a whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing requires staff to feel confident and empowered in their roles.

Training and development can play a vital role in supporting staff to carry out their responsibilities effectively. It can help staff to support their own wellbeing, as well as to know how to best support the wellbeing of their students.

This might involve providing general mental health and wellbeing awareness training for all staff, as well as specialised training for staff with specific responsibilities.

Identifying training and development needs

Training is most effective when it meets an identified need. These will vary across settings.

To identify your staff training and development needs, it can be helpful to:

• conduct staff and student surveys to identify specific mental health and wellbeing needs

• consult with staff to gather feedback on their perceived training needs

• analyse data on student and staff wellbeing issues to identify trending concerns

• review your school's mental health strategy and identify areas where training could support implementation.

Senior mental health lead training

Our senior mental health lead training equips staff with the knowledge and skills to develop and implement a whole-school approach to mental health, putting the wellbeing of students and staff at the heart of everything you do.

Sign up to training

Planning and commissioning training

Once you have identified your training needs, you can plan and commission appropriate mental wellbeing training.

It can be helpful to consider:

• Provider: does an external provider have the appropriate credentials and expertise to deliver effective, evidence-based training?

• Audience: is the training suitable for all staff or specific roles?

• Content: does the training cover general mental health awareness or specific interventions?

• Delivery method: in-person workshops, online courses, or a blended approach?

• Timing: can it be integrated into existing INSET days or professional development time?

• Collaboration: are there opportunities to partner with other schools for cost-effective training?

• Measurement and evaluation: how will the provider or the training resources allow you to track the effectiveness of the training?

Anna Freud training for schools and colleges

Our evidence-based training courses have been written by mental health professionals and education experts. Every session is delivered by one of our highly experienced qualified trainers.

We offer both shorter and more intensive training courses for staff in primary schools, secondary schools, alternative provision settings, and further education colleges. This includes training on:

• Reflective practice and supervision

• Autism and wellbeing in schools

• Parent and carer partnership training

• Self-harm: leading whole-school prevention

• School attendance and mental wellbeing