Parent Carer Peer Support training course
Parent Carer Peer Support Training
Our PCPS training course is open to those working or volunteering as parent carer peer support workers, or parents and carers supported by local services who would like to train to become a PCPS worker.
The parent or carer must have lived experience of supporting a child or young person with mental health issues, and the organisation must support children, young people and/or families to improve their mental and emotional wellbeing.
The training is fully funded by NHS England, and a support grant is also available to organisations within England.
At the Charlie Waller Trust, we believe that every parent or carer should be able to access support from their peers. We believe in the strength that comes from representation of the rich diversity of parent and caring experiences – diversity of family makeup, culture, ethnicity, neurodiversity, sexuality, migration history, disability or faith and we hope to be part of building a peer support community that reflects this diversity. We feel this new emerging workforce deserves expert training and a partnership with professionals.
We will be accepting joint partnership applications between a parent or carer who has lived experience of supporting a child with mental health issues and a service that supports children, young people and or families to improve their mental and emotional wellbeing from anywhere in the UK.
Applications open Monday 7 September 2026.
What will the PCPS course cover?
- Reflective practice and use of supervision
- Diversity and inclusion
- Understanding and navigating the children and young people’s mental health system
- Managing groups
- Co-production and the shared lived experience
- Safety and self-care
- Endings, transitions and new beginnings
What does the training for parents and carers involve?
- 7 half day online sessions provided for parents and carers an online platform such as Zoom or Teams
- Online support and sessions to help parents and carers with the technological aspects of online learning before the course starts
- 30 hours of self-directed learning on topics relating to the PCPS role – if you haven’t done self- directed learning before don’t worry, there will be additional drop-in support sessions available. Where the parent or carer is working for a service, line managers must ensure that the learner has protected time to complete the self-directed learning.
- Each session will be facilitated by a parent or carer with lived experience and a children and young people’s mental health professional
- Learners will be asked to complete a portfolio of evidence to support learning (this can be done in a style that suits the learner, e.g. talking, writing or visuals)
- A CPD certificate will be awarded
Register your interest for future courses
Not ready to apply but interested in future Parent Carer Peer Support courses?
Please complete the expression of interest form below to keep informed about future courses