Understand the principles of first aid for mental health and know how to support a colleague, friend or family member in need.
A mental health first aider is a nominated point of contact within an organisation, someone anyone can go to for support with a mental health problem. This qualification gives you the underpinning knowledge to recognise mental ill health in yourself and others, understand your role and its boundaries and know how to have a supportive, non-judgemental first response conversation.
You’ll cover recognising the signs of mental ill health, the ABC action plan (Assess, Be present, Co-create a plan), promoting a positive wellness culture in the workplace and looking after your own resilience and self-care as a first aider.
This qualification does not make you clinically qualified to assess, diagnose or treat mental ill health. It equips you with the basic tools to listen and signpost.
Entry is open to learners aged 19 and above. A minimum of Level 1 literacy and/or numeracy or equivalent is advised, though not a strict requirement.
This qualification covers two mandatory units: understanding mental health, mental ill health and wellbeing, and the principles of first aid for mental health itself. You’ll learn to identify signs of mental ill health, understand the ABC action plan for supporting someone in the moment, and explore how to promote a positive wellness culture at work while protecting your own mental health as a first aider.
This course is made up of flexible units, so you can choose the topics most relevant to your interests and circumstances. It’s internally assessed, with no exams and no grades – you’ll demonstrate what you’ve learned through your coursework, supported by a dedicated tutor.
This course is designed to be completed over 2-4 months. To achieve the qualification, learners must build up a minimum of 13 credits by completing their chosen units. Once enrolled, you’ll have access to your course deadlines to help keep you on track.
Funding is available for eligible residents of Greater London through the Greater London Authority and for Buckinghamshire residents through Buckinghamshire Council.
On successful completion, learners may wish to continue their development with:
This qualification is widely used to support a workplace mental health first aider role, so it’s also valuable for anyone in an HR, welfare, line management or people-facing role.
Funding is available for eligible residents of Greater London through the Greater London Authority and for Buckinghamshire residents through Buckinghamshire Council.
You must meet the following criteria to be able to study for free:
If you enrol onto this course but fail to complete, please be aware there will be a £250 + VAT administration charge.
Week 1 – Submit Your Enquiry Form.
We’ll call to talk you through the course and answer any questions you may have. You will then be sent a Course Registration Form to complete.
Week 2 – We’ll Process Your Application.
Our Enrolment Team will then ask you to complete an application form. A tutor will be assigned to you to support you throughout your course and they can be contacted by phone, text or email.
Weeks 3–16 – You’ll Receive Email Reminders When Your Units Are Due.
Your tutor will mark and return your work within 7 days.
Completion – After Submission.
Once you’ve completed your course, we’ll apply for your certificate, which will be posted to your home address within 2–4 weeks.
This course is fully free for eligible adults aged 19 and over living in London or Buckinghamshire, funded through the Adult Skills Fund. Funding is generally available to people who are unemployed or on a lower income and is subject to residency and eligibility checks when you enrol.
This qualification develops awareness of mental health and wellbeing and how to recognise and respond appropriately to mental health concerns. It covers signs of mental ill health, the mental health continuum, positive mental wellbeing, supporting people experiencing mental health challenges and the principles of mental health first aid.
The qualification provides an introduction to mental health first aid principles, including recognising concerns, starting supportive conversations and signposting people to appropriate support. It develops valuable mental health awareness skills but does not qualify learners to diagnose or treat mental health conditions, which remains the responsibility of qualified healthcare professionals.
This qualification is suitable for anyone wanting to improve their understanding of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, community or personal life. It is particularly valuable for managers, supervisors, team leaders, HR professionals, wellbeing champions, Support Workers, teachers and care staff who want to support positive mental wellbeing.
The qualification contains approximately 12 guided learning hours and is delivered through flexible blended learning with online materials and dedicated tutor or assessor support. Assessment is typically completed through knowledge based activities and assessment tasks aligned with the qualification requirements.
