Individual schools and college will be able to apply for a grant of £1,200.
Backed by a total of £9.5 million, announced in May, the funding will pay for training covering how to use existing mental health resources more effectively, identify students who need mental health support and how to improve working with local mental health services so children who need specialist help, get it as soon as possible.
All state schools and colleges will be offered the training by 2025.
Minister for children and families, Will Quince, said, ‘I’m always impressed by the resilience and tenacity of our young people, but we know they have faced huge challenges during the pandemic so we owe it to them to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing as we build back better.
‘Today marks an important step forward in our commitment to making wellbeing a central part of education recovery, by giving school and college staff the confidence to not only teach about good mental health but also understand what steps to take if they feel a pupil is struggling.’
The DfE has also announced it has improved its guidance for schools and colleges on developing good mental health practices. The new edition has been put together by the DfE, Public Health England and the Young People’s Mental Health Coalition.
The guidance, first published in 2015, has been updated to reflect current need.
