Senior Wellbeing Practitioner: Children and Young People PGDip

Work in practice whilst enhancing your knowledge of interventions in learning disability and autistic spectrum disorder. You’ll graduate as a qualified practitioner, playing a key part in improving access and quality of mental health support for children and young people.

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Overview

Course length:	2 years part-time
Start dates:	January 2025 January 2026
Location:	Online study
Example offers:	2:2 or above (or equivalent) and a minimum of 2 years' experience in a CYP mental health setting post qualification View full entry criteria
Subject(s):	Mental Health Health and Social Care
Faculty:	Health, Social Care and Medicine
Department:	Allied Health, Social Work and Wellbeing

With a balance of academic and work-based learning, this PGDip Senior Wellbeing Practitioner: Children and Young People course has been designed to provide opportunities for you to complete four academic modules, whilst maintaining a clinical role in practice.

This approach to study will allow you to identify key issues in practice by applying the theoretical skills learned from the course into practice.

You will be equipped with therapeutic knowledge and practice-based skills in both clinical and case management supervision. This will focus on developing your communication skills, leadership management and knowledge of interventions in learning disability and autistic spectrum disorder practice.

This course has been developed as a direct response to the Government’s mandate which seeks to improve access and quality of mental health support for children and young people. As a Senior Wellbeing Practitioner, you will add to this core team, as well as providing development opportunities for graduates of the PGDip Education Mental Health Practitioner for Children and Young People programme.

Throughout the course, you will be exposed to research informed, evidence based teaching, and a wealth of support from writing to wellbeing.

What you'll study

Year 1 of this senior wellbeing practitioner course focuses on developing your clinical supervision skills. You will also start to reflect on intervention strategies when working with children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties, and the role which mental health services play in this.

Compulsory modules:

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Supervision I explores the concept and process of clinical supervision, including supervisory relationship issues, contractual arrangements intervention strategies and evaluation. We will support you to develop advanced skills and supervision skills associated with Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions for Child and Young Persons' mental health/emotional difficulties. You will have the opportunity to reflect on supervisory practice, which will enhance your learning and ongoing action planning.

Module code: HUG4060

Credits: 30

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

Supervision II builds on the knowledge you have gained from HUG4060. You will continue to progress your sustainable skills in supervising Education Mental Health Practitioners or Children's Wellbeing Practitioners, across community and educational settings. This is influenced by the ongoing development of quality-driven, outcomes-informed services. The module will enable you to gain an understanding of wider mental health services that support of children and young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties. You will also develop advanced practice skills in clinical and case management supervision for low intensity practice.

Module code: HUG4061

Credits: 30

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

Year 2 focuses on experiential learning as you develop your knowledge of intervention models. You will learn how to advise parents/carers and school staff when presented with difficulties such as school anxiety. The core features of Autism, Learning Disabilities and associated conditions will be considered, enabling you to develop appropriate interventions with this group.

Compulsory modules:

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Enhanced Practice in Early Intervention enhances your competency across a range of early interventions. You will acquire a framework of key skills and knowledge through classroom teaching, experiential learning, role play, observation and supervised practice. Understanding of advanced anxiety presentations, trauma informed practice principles and approaches, and difficulties relating to school anxiety are a key focus of this module. You will be able to intervene with parents/carers and school staff in these settings. This module will equip you with an expanded understanding of the process of consultation and psycho-education in schools and colleges. The breadth of low intensity support available for children, young people and families experiencing the impact of common mental health difficulties, is also expanded upon.

Module code: HUG4062

Credits: 30

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

Adapting Low Intensity Practice with Neurodiversity including Autism provides an appropriate introduction to working with children and young people with neurodiversity, including Autism and Learning Disabilities. You will develop an understanding of the core features of Autism, Learning Disabilities and associated conditions. The knowledge and skills you gain regarding diagnostic criteria will enable you to deliver effective and appropriately adapted low intensity interventions with this client group. The module provides you with the knowledge of relevant legislation, medical and social models of disability and practice. This will be used when reflecting on the types of reasonable adjustments required in low intensity practice to meet the needs of this group.

Module code: HUG4063

Credits: 30

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

How you'll study

This senior wellbeing practitioner course is delivered online. You will start with a two-day online induction. The induction will be delivered as a combination between live sessions and material to complete in your own time.

Attendance at online sessions is expected to be around two days per month. This includes a combination of theoretical learning and skills practice.

All taught and clinical skills sessions will be delivered using a virtual learning environment (VLE) platform. This promotes group discussions and the ability to access additional content and learning activities.

How you'll be assessed

You will be assessed through a combination of practical assessments and coursework. Coursework typically includes clinical reports and practice portfolios.

A 50% minimum pass rate applies to all elements of assessment on this course.

Who will be teaching you

The teaching team comprises of academic staff whose expertise ranges from designing, developing and delivering both undergraduate and Master’s level programmes. All academic staff within the department have, or are working towards, a recordable teaching qualification and all have achieved at least Master’s level study, with a considerable proportion having achieved PhDs. Several are research active in the subject field of mental health (research interests include: child health and wellbeing, resilience, youth offending, third sector offender management, mental health, change management and quality improvement in health and social care), or relevant related areas.

Several staff have practical experience working in the mental health sector, such as health visitors, mental health nurses, family therapists, social workers, psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists, all of whom will have dealt with the long-term consequences of mental health issues not being addressed at an early age.

In addition to this, honorary contracts, associate tutors, secondments from clinical practice, visiting and specialist guest lecturers are an integral part of the programme delivery to ensure that specialist knowledge at this advanced level is included in the module content.

You can expect to receive your timetable at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day or evening of the week.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements (2025 / 2026)

You should have a minimum 2:2 undergraduate honours degree in a relevant subject or equivalent. You will also be expected to have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a CYP mental health setting post qualification.

You must be in suitable employment to be registered on the programme. You must be employed by your sponsoring organisation and as such, all responsibilities for employment are held by the employer.

You should have completed either Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) or Children’s and Young Peoples’ Wellbeing Practitioners (CYPs) training and currently be employed in one of these roles.

You are required to be an experienced practitioner, as evidenced by 2 or more years working therapeutically, clinically, or consultatively within an educational or community mental health setting, with children and young people with mental health difficulties. Applicants with less than two years’ post qualifying experience may be considered depending on previous experience.

Relevant qualifications for entry could include:-

Children and Young People’s Mental Health CYP/CYWP

PGDip Education Mental Health Practitioner

Applications will also be welcomed from those who have completed the PGCert Supervision: Children and Young People’s Mental Health & Wellbeing or the PGDip Education Mental Health Practitioner for Children and Young People supervisor programmes at Edge Hill University, whereby credits can be transferred towards the Senior Wellbeing Practitioner qualification through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

This programme is only available to students who reside and work in England due to the need for employment based in a local NHS trust or third sector organisation.

An interview will form part of the selection process.

A supporting statement from your manager will also be required as part of the application process.

English language requirements

International students require IELTS 6.5, with a score no lower than 6.0 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

How to apply

Apply online through NHS Jobs

We recommend interested applicants create an account with NHS Jobs and set up an email alert to search 'education mental health practitioner'. You will then be made aware when posts go out to advert.

Successful candidates will be employed by a specific NHS trust and released to train at Edge Hill University.

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Finance

Tuition fees

The tuition fees for students joining this course in the academic year 2024/25 are £5,520.

The tuition fees for students in their second year of this course in the academic year 2025/26 are £5,980.

Please note, the tuition fees for students joining this course in 2025/26 in their first year are not yet confirmed.

The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support eligible to UK students.

Money Matters

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see our EU student finance page for further details.

Your future career

Aligned to the NHS agenda for change, successful completion of this PGDip Senior Wellbeing Practitioner: Children and Young People course will enhance your career opportunities.

You will be equipped to offer both clinical and case management supervision, specialising in learning disability and autistic spectrum specific delivery, including providing advanced low intensity interventions .