DFE Grant Process.

The UK body for Mental Health and Wellbeing Leads, approved provider of Senior Mental Health Lead training.

The grant process.

Schools and colleges can apply for their grant at https://onlinecollections.des.fasst.org.uk/fastform/senior-mental-health-leads

Important Update October 2023 – If you have already claimed a grant and your lead has since left you are now eligible to claim a second grant to fund training a second lead.

Schools and colleges in England with DfE funded pupils can apply for a £1200 grant to cover the cost of training one mental health lead. They can apply for courses that start before 31st March 2024.

(Last updated 9th October 2023)

Introduction.

The Department for Education have announced a £1200 grant for schools and colleges in England (excluding independent ones schools). This is designed to cover the cost of training for a designated person on an approved mental health lead training course, with some left over for cover costs etc. (our courses cost less for example). If you have already applied and received the grant and your lead has left the school, you can now apply for a second grant to train their replacement.

We have several approved courses, a one-day introduction, a two day intermediate course and a 3-day Advanced Designated Mental Health Lead with 4 pathways:

  • middle leader.
  • senior education leaders (leading to a certificate as a National Educational Leader in Mental Health).
  • Social, emotional and mental health specialist settings and alternative provisions.
  • Moderate to severe learning disability specialist settings.

Applying for a grant.

Taken from the Department for Education website:

“You can apply for a senior mental health lead training grant to commence training within the 2022 to 2023 financial year, up to 31 March 2023 by following these steps:

  1. Eligible settings should complete the first stage of the application process to reserve a grant. In this form, your eligibility will be checked and you will be asked to make a series of declarations as described in the conditions of grant.
  2. You will then receive confirmation that we have successfully received your application and you should proceed to book a DfE quality assured training course to commence by 31 March 2023. Please retain evidence of your booking, as this will be needed to claim your grant.
  3. After submitting the first form, usually within 10 days, you will receive an email from DfE inviting you to submit the second stage of your application. In this form, you will be asked to provide evidence that confirms you have booked a DfE quality assured course – for example, a scanned copy, screenshot or photograph of your confirmation email or invoice from your training provider. Make sure that your evidence includes the title of the training course, the start date and the name of the training provider.

You will have at least 3 weeks to submit the second form, but if you do not submit within the deadline provided, we may release your place to other applicants to ensure grants do not go unclaimed.

Look out for your invitation email to complete the second stage of the application process, as it may go to your junk folder.”

The grant process itself is:

  1. Apply for the grant via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/senior-mental-health-lead-training-grant-funding
  2. You need a DfE login and it will ask for your organisation (they mean your school/college not us!).
  3. You will receive acknowledgement of your application.
  4. When your grant is approved you receive an email with a 10-12 digit code confirming your application (see the attached image below) and telling you when your training must start by.
  5. Book your training.
  6. Pay your provider’s invoice.
  7. The DfE will provide you with a link to the second part of the application process, this is where you upload our invoice and booking confirmation email.

Please be aware that the DfE application process leads you to the Leeds Beckett University online tool for finding a training provider and that this often results in Leeds Beckett University courses being displayed.

If you are experiencing issues with the DfE sign-in to the grant application form, please follow the steps below to link your account to your organisation:

  1. Go to ‘organisations’.
  2. Select ‘request an organisation’ from the related actions.
  3. Search for your organisation by name, URN, or UKPRN.
  4. Select your organisation from the list.
  5. Provide a comment explaining why you need access to this organisation (this will be seen by approvers at that organisation) then select ‘confirm’.
  6. Once you’ve made a request to access an organisation, it will be dealt with by approvers at that organisation.

In terms of booking your course, we would obviously love you to attend one of our courses, these can be found at https://mentalhealthlead.com/funded-lead-training/. We have four courses for schools and colleges:

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any queries, our email is info@rootofit.com or our phone is 02381 120010.

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