What are the WSA aims?

ROAR Whole School Approach to mental health in schools training supports senior mental health leads to develop a coordinated and evidence-based approach to access and implement the WSA model in their school.

The training has been developed in partnership with colleagues from Education to give senior leaders an overview of key principles (based on the PHE model) to promoting emotional health and wellbeing across education. The training has grown out of Liverpool’s long-standing multi-agency city-wide WSA and the development of mental health support teams in schools.

The course works in synergy with the ROAR Liverpool WSA assessment tool, which gives senior leaders a baseline report to develop and implement an action plan to see mental health and emotional wellbeing considered in all aspects of school life. Supported by ten stand-alone modules, the course will support senior leads to develop each principle of their whole school approach, using resources, further training and support whilst maximising the role of local mental health support teams.

Participants can also access further ROAR Training (ROAR primary/secondary, Early Years, ROAR SEND, ROAR Culture and ROAR supervision training) to develop specific principles such as recognising need. Senior MHLs are encouraged to bring along additional staff to specific modules to build their mental health team in school.

Based on Public Health England’s ‘Promoting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing.’

Based on the Public Health England model, the Liverpool model comprises eight key areas, starting with leadership and management and then working out into every aspect of school life. The outer rings of the model link to support and resources that can assist schools in developing each of these areas. The ROAR Whole School Approach to mental health in schools training has been designed to support the use of the WSA audit tool, which gives senior leaders a baseline report to develop and implement an action plan to see mental health and emotional wellbeing considered in all aspects of school life.

DfE funded senior mental health lead training

The Department for Education (DfE) is offering a grant of £1,200 for eligible state-funded schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead to develop and implement a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. This training is not compulsory, but it is part of the government’s commitment to offer this training to all eligible schools and colleges by 2025.

Eligible schools and colleges can now apply for a senior mental health lead training grant to commence training within the 2022 to 2023 financial year, up to 31 March 2023. Grants will be provided to cover (or contribute to) the cost of attending a quality assured course and may also be used to hire supply staff whilst leads are engaged in learning.

Find out how to apply for your training grant here.

How does ROAR WSA work?

We recommend completing all ten modules for senior mental health leads in schools to achieve the Mental Health WSA ROAR Champion Certificate. Participants can combine this with further ROAR training (primary or secondary) and any ROAR CPD (Early Years, ROAR SEN, ROAR Culture) additions to further develop their skills.

For schools wanting to send targeted staff onto specific modules, any of these can be accessed as stand-alone CPD training.