Wolverhampton Educational Psychology service is pleased to be able to offer a range of FREE, recorded and face to face training sessions that are aimed at staff in education settings but may be useful for other professionals.
Wolverhampton Educational Psychology Service are offering a range of FREE central training offers throughout 2025-26. Please click on the flyer links below for more information about the courses and how to book.
Supporting Staff Wellbeing Using the PERMA model This session will equip senior leaders and pastoral staff within education settings to have a good understanding of the PERMA model, including how it can be used to support staff wellbeing.
Using PACE to promote safe, secure and trusting relationships This session is for any adults working directly with children and young people, particularly in education settings. It will equip them with a good understanding of the PACE model and how to implement it in practice.
Understanding and supporting the development of identity in adolescence This session is for any adults working with children and young people in secondary schools, particularly Senior Mental Health Leads, Pastoral Leads, Designated Safeguarding Leads, SENCos, Inclusion Leads and PSHE Leads. It will cover how identity develops over the life course, what factors impact on it, and how schools can provide positive support.
Understanding and supporting anxiety for children with SEND This session is for any professionals working directly with children with SEND. It will equip them with a good understanding of anxiety, what it is, how it can present for children with SEND, and positive tools and approaches for managing anxiety.
Neuro-affirming schools: Creating an inclusive culture through whole school practice This session is for senior leaders, particularly SENCos, in Wolverhampton schools. It will explore what it means to be a neuro-affirming school, and provide tools and frameworks to support reflection on practice and to guide school based planning.
Understanding and responding to Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) This session is for senior leaders in schools, including Designated Safeguarding Leads, Pastoral Leads, Inclusion Leads/SENCos, PSHE Leads and Senior Mental Health Leads. It will ensure they have a good understanding of what HSB is, how to identify it, how to assess the level of risk using the Brook Traffic Light Tool, and how to respond through use of the Wolverhampton Multi-agency HSB Pathway. It will also provide signposting to follow up support and resources.
A range of short recorded training sessions can be accessed using the links below, including sessions focussed on supporting the inclusion of children with special needs transitioning in to Reception, and on meeting the needs of children following the impact of Covid.
An Introduction to Selective Mutism and the Wolverhampton SM pathway - Part 1
An Introduction to Selective Mutism and the Wolverhampton SM pathway - Part 2
If you would like further information about other training we are able to offer then please speak with your Link Educational Psychologist if you have one or get in touch with us at InclusionSupportAdmin@wolverhampton.gov.uk
DfE assured Senior Mental Health Lead Training
The Educational Psychology Service runs the DfE assured Senior Mental Health Lead course, Leading Mental Health in Schools Award. This course will give you the tools and skills you need to lead practice in your school to promote emotional wellbeing and identify and respond to mental health needs.
The course aligns with the Senior Mental Health Lead learning outcomes and covers the following areas:
- Whole-School Approaches
- Identifying need and monitoring impact of interventions
- Targeted support and appropriate referrals
- Staff development
- Enabling the student voice
- Working with parents, families and carers
You will be supported to develop your understanding and practice through taught sessions, coaching sessions and by reflecting on your setting’s current practice and your role.
The course is led by Educational Psychologists, with input from other professionals including University of Wolverhampton, CAMHS and the Co-production and Youth Engagement Team.
We have worked alongside the University of Wolverhampton and you will have the option of gaining 20 Masters Credits towards an MA in Education by completing an assignment linked to the course (NB: This is not a requirement to gain the Leading Mental Health in Schools Award). You will have access to a University Tutor and library facilities if you choose to complete the Masters assignment.
Who is this for?
The award is aimed at Senior Mental Health Leads and those in education settings with a lead for emotional wellbeing and mental health.
What is involved?
- The course spans 9 months, and we maintain a waiting list for those interested in joining. A new cohort will begin once we have a sufficient number of participants enrolled.
- Monthly (term time) 3-hr sessions
- A short presentation to the course cohort about applying learning in your setting
- An optional 3000-word Master’s Level Assignment (tutorials and support provided)
What are the Outcomes?
- Assured DfE SMHL training
- Certificate of Attendance and Celebratory Event
- Optional - 20 Masters Credits towards an MA in Education if you choose to complete the assignment
What does the course cost?
- £500 course cost.
- Additional £300 for the Masters accreditation if you choose to complete this.
- You can use your Senior Mental Health Lead DfE grant for this.
How to book
Book your place on SLA Online
For more information contact elaine.perry@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Wolverhampton Educational Psychology Service is able to offer a range of bespoke training to meet the individual needs of education settings or partner services. Some ideas of training topics are shared below but this is not exhaustive. Settings are also advised to review the central training available from the SEND Early Identification and Support Services.
Bespoke training can be delivered through an existing Traded SLA if your setting/service has one. Please contact your Link Educational Psychologist to discuss your needs.
Bespoke training can also be delivered through a new SLA. If your setting/service does not currently have an SLA, please get in touch with us via InclusionSupportAdmin@wolverhampton.gov.uk to discuss your needs. This service is subject to capacity.
Autism and Mental Health
People with autism are more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population. However, the mental health of people with autism is often overlooked or ignored. That’s why it’s really important that the services people with autism use, are able to properly identify their social, emotional and mental health needs so people can get the right support at the right time. This session will increase your understanding of autism and mental health issues and increase your confidence in identifying and supporting the social, emotional and mental health needs of children and young people with autism.
Creative Ways of Working with Children and Young People
The aim of the training is to introduce participants to a Creative Way of supporting children and young people to express themselves, in a safe and confidential environment. This is demonstrated in a number of ways through Expression, Art and Visualisation and Therapeutic stories; and will help them to develop their therapeutic skills and understanding of the benefits of using these techniques with children and young people in order to:
- Understand and help resolve issues
- Increased knowledge and skills through experiential learning
- The impact of creative techniques
- Assess the indications and contraindications for using creative techniques
Understanding Trauma informed Practice and Attachment
This session aims to develop an understanding of attachment theory and the different types of attachment, highlighting how this impacts the brain and can affect classroom behaviour. This session also provides practical strategies to support vulnerable children and young people with attachment difficulties to provide the secure base that they need.
Getting it Right: Positive Steps to Support Behaviour and Emotional Wellbeing in Schools
The Inclusion Support Service have developed guidance and resources for schools on identifying and supporting children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. We are offering free training to all schools. This course covers how to identify children with SEMH needs, creating learning environments to promote emotional wellbeing and positive behaviour, assessing and planning for SEMH needs, strategies that can be implemented to support SEMH needs. All delegates will receive a copy of the Getting it Right Good Practice Guidance Resource. This course is for school leaders SENCOs and pastoral leads and other agencies working with schools to support them in meeting the needs of children with SEMH needs.
Using Counselling Skills to Support Children and Young People
There has been an increasing awareness of the impact of children and young people’s emotional well-being on their engagement in school and being able to reach their full potential. The use of counselling skills is one effective way to support emotional well-being. Central to counselling is the relationship between skilled helper and client, therefore school staff are in a great position to provide this support as they already have established relationships with the children/ young people. It is important for staff to have an understanding of counselling skills so that they can provide safe and helpful support.
Promoting Friendships and Reducing Isolation: Circle of Friends
Circle of Friends is an approach to support a student who is in danger of feeling isolated or left out. The Circle of Friends approach works by developing a support network around the individual by asking the young person’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.
Promoting Social Skills: GRASP Intervention
GRASP is a 6 session programme that is designed to provide pupils with a range of skills and understanding, such as problem solving and assertive expression, which will enable them to make confident, positive decisions in social situations with peers.
Understanding and Supporting C&YP who are refugees and migrants
This session will increase your knowledge of the journey of refugees and migrants who come to Wolverhampton, the impact of this journey and how we can support children and young people following this. The session is being run by Dr Heather Thomas from the Wolverhampton Refugee and Migrant Centre alongside the Educational Psychology Service.
Developing and Writing Multi-element Support Plans
Multi-element Support Plans are a tool that focuses on a number of factors and elements that can contribute to improved wellbeing and/or behaviour. They form part of the graduated response to identifying needs and implementing support for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) need outlined in the Getting it Right Guidance. This session will support you to develop and write effective multi-element support plans using examples, case studies and allowing you to reflect on children and young people who you support.
Preventing Escalation of Challenging Behaviour: Emotion Coaching
Emotion coaching is a method of enabling children and young people to manage their own behaviour through helping them to understand the different emotions they experience, why they occur, and how to handle them.
Attachment in the Early Years
This session aims to develop an understanding of attachment theory and the different types of attachment, highlighting how this impacts the brain and child development. The session focuses on children from 0-5 years old and how to identify their needs, work with their families and provide support and the secure base that they need.
Inclusion for Gender and Sexual Diversity
Research suggests that LGBTQI+ young people are more at risk of being bullied, and experience a greater risk of school dropout, social isolation, mental health difficulties and suicide. 80% of transgender adults were aware they were transgender before they left primary school, suggesting a need for staff in both primary and secondary school settings to have awareness of gender identity and potential issues faced by individuals who identify as transgender. This session will provide an introduction into how schools can support the needs of LGBTQI+ children and young people.
Dealing with Conflict and Bullying: Restorative Conversations
A restorative conversation is a useful way of bringing people together following an incident to explore what has happened, discuss the impact of this and agree ways forward. They have been used to successfully resolve conflict, improve relationships and prevent fixed term exclusions.
Responding to Anxiety: Mindfulness
Research findings show that regular mindfulness meditation significantly reduces anxiety. Mindfulness involves paying more attention to the present moment, to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you. We will share strategies that you can use to support children and young people.
Supporting Attendance: support for Emotionally-based School Avoidance
Emotionally-based school refusal (EBSR) is an umbrella term used to describe children and young people (CYP) who have severe difficulty attending school due to emotional factors. There is a broad range of research that has outlined the negative impact of EBSR on outcomes for C/YP. However, it has been found that intervening early and working with parents, schools and CYP themselves is associated with positive outcomes for CYP who have severe difficulty attending school.