Frequently asked questions.
We answer some of your questions!
We understand that you might have questions about AMHIE and we are happy to help! From memberships to training – this should help you find the answers you are looking for.
If you can’t find what you need please use the helpline 02381 120010 or contact us over email support@amhie.com
What are the key benefits of membership?
The impact of joining AMHIE as a member boils down to three main benefits for you and your school:
1. Reduced “Compliance Anxiety” and Risk
The most immediate result for a Mental Health Lead is the shift from reactive to proactive leadership.
- The Result: You stop worrying about whether your policy is “up to date” or if you’ve missed a new DfE memo. Because AMHIE monitors these changes for you, your school remains “inspection-ready” year-round.
- Practical Impact: When Ofsted asks about your whole-school strategy, you aren’t scrambling; you’re handing over an evidence-based framework that you’ve been receiving monthly.
2. Significant Time Recovery (Capacity Building)
The free membership acts as a “research assistant” for your team.
- The Result: Instead of spending 5–10 hours a month researching “best practice” or creating resources for staff meetings, you are using pre-built, vetted materials.
- Practical Impact: That time is redirected back into direct pupil support or early intervention. You’re moving from being an administrator of mental health to being a practitioner of it.
3. Improved Staff Confidence & Professional “Sanity”
Being a Mental Health Lead can be incredibly isolating and emotionally draining.
- The Result: Joining the peer network and having access to the helpline provides a “professional safety net.” You gain the confidence that your decisions are backed by sector experts and peers who have faced the same complex cases.
- Practical Impact: This reduces the risk of burnout and decision fatigue. For the school, this often results in better staff retention because the leadership team feels supported rather than overwhelmed.
Summary of Tangible Results:
| The Feature | The Tangible Result (The “So What?”) |
| 30% Training Discount | More staff trained for the same budget, creating a consistent culture rather than a one-person silo. |
| Monthly Resources | A steady heartbeat of mental health awareness across the school year, not just a one-off assembly. |
| Digital Badge/Cert | Immediate “Social Proof” for parents and governors that the school is committed to national standards. |
| Specialist Toolkit | (Right now) A ready-made campaign for Children’s Mental Health Week, removing the stress of planning from scratch. |
Where can I find out about AMHIE training?
AMHIE training offers a range of opportunities for those wishing to develop their key skills and stay compliant with current sector expectations.
We offer in-person CPD, Mentoring training, Mental Health Lead training and Mental Health CPD from Introduction level all the way to Advanced and Senior Leadership.
Browse the options on our training page find the right course and training dates for you and your team.
You can explore available dates for next academic year: 20252026 AMHIE Training Dates
AMHIE has trained Mental Health Leads since 2021, when we first opened as the National Network of Mental Health Leads to deliver DfE funded training for UK schools. In the past 4 years, we have trained over 1500 learners to success in their role with a 9/10 feedback rating on content and delivery.
We continue to offer our high quality training, accredited and approved by Open Awards.
Our training is developed and delivered by Richard Daniel Curtis, with a background in SEMH, Psychology and teaching, Richard is a leading UK mental health in education expert.
Discounts: We are able to offer discounts of up 30% on training if your lead has left post or someone at your setting has trained with us previously. Our members, receive a training discount code for 30% off cost of any training bookings.
To access your discount, please contact us at the time of booking with your membership number/details so we can apply your discount on support@amhie.com or by phone 02381 120010.
Find out more about our Mental Health Lead training – Introduction to the Mental Health Lead Role, Intermediate Mental Health Lead, Advanced Designated Mental Health Lead
Why should I choose AMHIE?
You should choose AMHIE to help you and your organisation stay up-to-date and compliant with current sector expectations and guidance.
Our membership offer enables you and your team to support whole school mental health and wellbeing at your setting.
By offering training, resources and toolkits we ensure you have the knowledge and skills to excel in your work and improve outcomes for all pupils and stakeholders at your setting/provision.
Comparison with Other Organisations
While many organisations provide excellent resources, they often have different focal points. Here is how AMHIE compares to the main alternatives in 2026:
| Feature | AMHIE | Anna Freud (Schools in Mind) | nasen (Plus Membership) | Place2Be |
| Primary Focus | Compliance & Leadership | Research & Clinical Evidence | SEND & Inclusion | Clinical Intervention |
| Membership Cost | Free (or Paid for full training) | Free | ~£19.99 / year | Partner School Model |
| Training Discount | 30% – 100% (on paid tiers) | Occasional event discounts | Limited to nasen Academy | Included in high-fee training |
| Key Strength | Ofsted/DfE statutory alignment | Translating research into the classroom | Expertise in neurodiversity/SEND | On-site therapeutic support |
| Recognition | Digital Badge & Certificate | Newsletter member | Professional affiliation badge | “Partner School” status |
Key Benefits of AMHIE Membership
- Compliance & Risk Reduction: You receive instant updates when DfE or Ofsted guidance changes, so you don’t have to spend hours researching policy.
- 30% Training Discount: Even on the free tier, you get a 30% discount on all accredited training, which can save a school over £2,000 across a full staff team.
- Ready-to-Use Toolkits: Monthly resources (like the Children’s Mental Health Week toolkit) are “plug-and-play,” meaning you can use them in staff meetings or for parent communications immediately.
- Professional Recognition: You receive a Digital Badge and Certificate for your website and reception, providing immediate evidence of your commitment to mental health during inspections.
- Peer Support Network: Access to a national forum to share best practices and reduce the “professional isolation” often felt by Mental Health Leads.
You can join us for free, no hidden costs, charges or extras unless you want them. As a free member, you will be given a monthly free resource as well as a certificate and badge to display at your setting, showing that you are compliant with expectations on wellbeing and mental health.
Our paid membership options offer comprehensive money saving options for training: you can access £1239+VAT of training per person for the cost of school membership which is £279+VAT with a total saving of £2199+VAT
Why Choose AMHIE Over Others?
- If you are a Mental Health Lead: Choose AMHIE. It is the only one specifically built to help you manage the role of the Lead, focusing on your time management and statutory duties.
- If you want clinical resources: Anna Freud or Place2Be are excellent for specific therapeutic strategies and research-backed lesson plans.
- If you are a SENCO: nasen remains the gold standard for SEND-specific policy and classroom differentiation.
The Bottom Line
AMHIE is essentially your “Compliance Shield.” While other organisations tell you what mental health is, AMHIE tells you what you need to do to stay compliant, how to train your staff for the lowest possible cost, and how to evidence your work to external stakeholders.
What is ‘Free membership’?
Free membership is for anyone wishing to join the association who doesn’t wish to have access to the full membership. You’ll still hear from us, with updates on sector news, blogs and details of upcoming events and training. You will also have access to our members pack, a certificate and badges to display as well as the advice line and working parties.
We will keep you up to date on everything going on in the sector, ensuring that you and your team stay compliant within current guidance and expectations. We also offer free advice, blogs and resources to help you in your role. Sign up on our free membership page
Joining the Association of Mental Health in Education (AMHIE) as a free member right now is a smart move, especially if you’re looking to stay compliant without the “policy-monitoring” headache.
As of February 2026, here are the key benefits you’ll get:
🎁 Limited-Time Special Offers
If you join by February 13, 2026, you can take advantage of the Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 special offer, which includes a specialist toolkit delivered directly to your member area. We create themed toolkits throughout the year to keep you up to date on current trends and movements within the sector.
🛠️ Core Membership Benefits
Even at the free tier, AMHIE provides a solid foundation for mental health leads and educators:
- 30% Training Discount: You get an immediate 30% discount coupon for any of their expert-led training sessions. This is a huge budget saver for CPD (Continuing Professional Development).
- Monthly Free Resources: Every month, you’ll receive ready-to-use resources, practical guidance, and evidence-based materials designed to be “plug-and-play” in your school or setting.
- Compliance Updates: They do the heavy lifting of monitoring DfE and Ofsted statutory guidance. You’ll get updates on policy changes, research, and reports sent straight to your inbox.
- Member “Social Proof”: You receive a certificate and digital badge to display at your setting, signaling your commitment to mental health standards.
🤝 Community & Support
Isolation is a common issue for mental health leads, and the free membership addresses this through:
- Peer Support Network: Access to the Members Forum and their helpline for advice when navigating complex cases.
- Working Parties: You can join working groups to help develop new guidance and kits, giving you a voice in shaping the national conversation around mental health in education.
- AMHIE News & Newsletter: A regular digest of sector news, expert blogs, and “sector-insider” tips.
💡 The “Why Now” Factor
The education sector in 2026 is seeing rapid shifts in how wellbeing is inspected. Joining as a free member is essentially a “risk reduction” strategy—it keeps you inspection-ready without the manual labor of tracking every government update yourself.
Note: If you later find you need more intensive support, like full access to their accredited Level 4 training or their entire library of toolkits, you can always upgrade to the paid Individual or Educational tiers.
Which membership is right for me?
Which membership is right for you? Well, there are a lot of options so it’s easy to get confused, ask yourself what do you need?
As an educational setting or individual you can join AMHIE as a free member if all you would like is to stay on top of sector news and guidance and policy updates.
To save money, time and resources you should join as a paying member of AMHIE. You and your team with then be able to access up to £1239+VAT of training for just the cost of membership –
Student – £29+VAT
Individual – £69+VAT
Educational Settings –
Educational Trusts –
For professionals:
Clinician – £69+VAT
Charity/CIC – £149+VAT (less then £90K turnover), £279+VAT (more than £90K turnover)
Provider/Supplier – £650+VAT (SME), £950+VAT (more than £90K turnover)
How do I pay?
How do I pay for my membership? We offer payment plans, where you pay monthly through the year simply fill in the subscription form and it will automatically subscribe you – it’s that easy!
Want to pay upfront? Just sign up using this form and we will invoice you and you can pay through our online portal using all the normal methods, including card, bacs and cheque.
Not sure? Become a free member and upgrade at any time simply by letting us know.
Clear and Transparent terms of membership
Here at AMHIE, our membership terms are clear – no reading big long documents – it’s all here for you to see!
Automatic Renewals: Membership automatically renews each year on the anniversary of your registration. We will remind you via email when your renewal is due.
Opt out/Cancelling –To opt out all you need to do is email or call us on or before your renewal date – it’s that simple.
Cancellation – if you’ve ordered something like a course or your membership is renewing, just tell us at least ten days before it’s due to start to cancel and you won’t be charged.
If you want to read the full ones, they can be found here
Get in touch with us – support@amhie.com or by phone 02381 120010.
How do I renew my membership?
How do I renew my membership?
Automatic Renewals: Membership automatically renews each year on the anniversary of your registration. We will remind you via email when your renewal is due.
Opt out/Cancelling –To opt out all you need to do is email or call us on or before your renewal date – it’s that simple.
Cancellation – if you’ve ordered something like a course or your membership is renewing, just tell us at least ten days before it’s due to start to cancel and you won’t be charged.
If you want to read the full T&C’s, they can be found here
Get in touch with us – support@amhie.com or by phone 02381 120010.
Do you offer discounts?
Sorry, we are not able to issue discounts on our memberships as we work hard to keep the prices as low as possible just for you! You can join us for free, on the first tier of membership if budgets are tight. But remember that with a paid member you can get £1239+VAT worth of training person person for as little as £69+VAT…
We can offer discounts on certain training programmes so please contact us if you have previously trained with us, or you are training a second member of staff on the same training.
AMHIE members can use their discount code to get 30% off of any training booking
Can I invite colleagues to join my membership?
Some of our membership options offer additional access for colleagues, but you need to select the tier that applies to you and your setting. We cannot offer additional access with any individual level of membership, in this instance only one person will have access to the community area.
If you have signed up to training you cannot just let someone else take over, please contact us and let us know who is taking over on support@amhie.com
Who is membership for?
We offer membership to anyone working in the education sector that works to support mental health and wellbeing, this includes various roles such as:
- Practitioners
- Teaching assistants
- Teachers
- School leaders
- College staff
- Lecturers
- Researchers
- Mental health professionals
- Charities
- Providers
- Psychologists
- + Anyone working in the sector!
If you aren’t sure which membership is right for you, look at your job role and your place of work. If you directly work in education in a school, AP, College, University etc then you would fit into our standard membership offer which includes free membership. Educational Psychologists also fall into those eligible for free membership.
If you provide a service, product or training to the sector then you would fall under our provider membership offer which provides marketing, advice and support to get your product or service off the ground ad out to our members.
I’ve just signed up, what next?
If you have signed up for training, you’ll get an email confirmation through and you can start straight away by logging onto our community portal!
For those of you who have signed up for an AMHIE membership thank you for joining us! You will soon receive an email from our team with your membership number, certificate and badges explaining the next steps. We send all of our members a copy of our free resource library which you can access straight away and your 30% discount code to use for any AMHIE training booking.
We don’t always get to everyone straight away but don’t worry we’ll be with you very soon!
How do I get into my account on the website?
You would have received an email from richard.curtis@rootofit.com with a link to the community portal, just click the link to access your account and start exploring all your full membership offers. If you haven’t received it or you can’t find it, please check your junk folder as sometimes it gets filed here., you can also call the helpline if you get stuck! 02381 120010.
Help! I can’t find what I was looking for!
We have a handy how to guide in the membership pack you received when you signed up, follow the steps inside to access the areas of the website you need.
If you are stuck, you have questions or you need advice please contact us on support@amhie.com
For help with your marketing or membership contact lily.blakeledge@rootofit.com
For help with your portfolio or advise on training contact helen.rathborne@rootofit.com
HELPLINE NUMBER: 02381 120010
I want to join a working party
That’s great, please email us and express your interest in joining. We recruit the working parties in June, but you can apply at any time of the year and anyone can join! Email us on support@amhie.com
Remember that to be eligible for a working party, you need to be a free member – visit our free membership page to sign up if you haven’t already.
I want to be part of the National Steering Group
That’s great, please email us and express your interest in joining. We recruit in June, but you can apply at any time of the year and anyone can join! Email us on support@amhie.com
Remember that to be eligible to join the National Steering Group you need to be a member of AMHIE. You can sign up to free membership via our free membership page or you can explore our membership offers if you would like more done-for-you services AMHIE Memberships
