Schools, colleges & higher education

At Maudsley Learning, we offer mental health training for teachers, school staff, colleges, universities and other education settings. We have both in-person sessions and online courses to suit your learning requirements. There are a range of learning styles available to suit your preferences, and you can even commission a bespoke course.

Mental health training helps you and your school, college or university support your students and staff better. It means you can recognise mental health issues, put appropriate safeguarding in place and create a healthier, happier learning environment.

You can attend courses individually as part of your continued professional development (CPD). Alternatively, if you’re an organisation, you can make group bookings or even request your own tailored course.

Maudsley Learning is part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), which is the provider of the most extensive portfolio of mental health services in the UK. Your training will be delivered by experts in their field, ensuring the information you receive is accurate and up-to-date with current best practices.

How it works

You can attend face-to-face sessions in London or complete the training online instead. Some of the online courses consist of pre-recorded materials, but others may involve talks from expert speakers and group discussions. In-person courses are delivered via a range of teaching methods. For example, you may take part in simulation training.

If you’d like to commission a bespoke course, contact jose.mascarenhas@slam.nhs.uk to discuss further. We can work with you to create a course that works specifically with your organisation or educational setting.

Schools & colleges

Statistics show that the mental health of children and young adults is worsening over time. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, some students have returned to learning as normal, but others have struggled to bounce back. It has had a significant impact on some students’ mental health, and all schools should be prepared to support students in need.

According to the Anna Freud Centre (2020), only 29% of primary school teachers and 34% of secondary school teachers said their school offers mental health training for school staff. That’s where we come in: Maudsley Learning helps school and college staff to spot warning signs, set up safeguarding and build students’ emotional resilience.

As teachers, it’s likely that you want to improve the wellbeing of your pupils. We can offer a range of initiatives and would be of significant interest to teachers in leadership roles, designated leads, and many others who want to help create more mental health-friendly schools.

Universities

In 2021, 37% of students said their mental health worsened after starting higher education (Randstad). Not only that, university staff – including lecturers, researchers and general staff – struggle with mental health issues too. This holds everyone back, and means they can’t reach their full potential.

That’s why it’s so important that university staff have the knowledge and tools to be able to support one another. Our courses help you to spot problems, understand them better and signpost people to the right support. Afterwards, you’ll be better equipped to help your students and university staff perform to the best of their abilities.

Maudsley Learning can adapt existing courses or develop new courses to meet your needs. Our mental health training for teachers and educators covers all areas of mental health. Our expertise include:

• Mental health and mentoring for peer support
• Neurodevelopmental disorders (autism/ADHD)
• Eating disorders
• Depression and anxiety
• Bipolar and psychosis
• Substance misuse
• And much more…

We can also provide:

• Training Needs Analysis (TNA), consultation, and evaluation for your organisation.
• Train the Trainer (TTT) programs for dissemination and sustainability of mental health teaching​

Contact jose.mascarenhas@slam.nhs.uk for more information.

Frequently asked questions

Why should teachers receive mental health training?

Students are increasingly struggling with their mental health. This can significantly impact their school life: from poorer results to bad behaviour and absences. By attending mental health training for teachers, you’ll be able to spot warning signs, signpost them to appropriate support and get their learning back on track.

Why is mental health important in schools?

Mental health awareness is important in schools because it helps everyone to support one another better. It can help teachers to support students and vice versa. A healthier, happier school will create a better learning environment for all – which will ultimately lead to better overall outcomes.