Who HOLD is for
Teachers, form tutors, heads of year, pastoral and learning-support staff, coaches and boarding staff – anyone with regular, relational contact with students.
Youth Mental Health Response · HOLD
HOLD: mental health response training for teachers and pastoral staff
One day for the adults who see young people every week – so the first conversation about distress is calm, safe and leads somewhere.
A student rarely chooses the counsellor first. They choose the tutor they trust, the teacher at the end of a lesson, the coach after training. HOLD prepares those adults for that moment, without asking them to become therapists.
How the method fits together
ANCHOR is the six-step method. NOTICE, HOLD and LEAD teach it to the three groups of adults around a young person, as part of Youth Mental Health Response.
- The methodANCHORSix steps for a calm, safe supportive conversation.
- ParentsNOTICEParent mental health workshop: early signs and open conversations at home.
- Teachers and pastoral staffHOLDMental health response training for teachers: notice, stay present, hand over.You are here
- School leaders and counsellorsLEADMental health leadership training: pathways, documentation, supervision.
What staff learn
- Spotting early signs of distress in a busy timetable, as description rather than diagnosis
- Opening and holding a supportive conversation using the six ANCHOR steps
- Adapting that conversation to each student, including neurodivergence-informed practice
- Honouring the limits of the role and knowing what must be passed on the same day
- Handing over to safeguarding and pastoral leads with continuity of care
- Returning to the student afterwards, which is where trust is built
What changes in school
Staff share one rehearsed response instead of improvising alone. Referrals arrive earlier and better described, and students experience the same calm approach from whichever adult they choose.
Guest expert session
HOLD includes an expert session on neurodivergence and mental health from guest speaker Chris Benson. Schools that want to go deeper can follow HOLD with bespoke neurodiversity training for staff.
How HOLD fits the wider approach
HOLD is the staff tier of Youth Mental Health Response, level 2 (Respond) of our school pathway. It sits between NOTICE for parents and LEAD for leaders, and builds on Mental Health Literacy where a school has that in place.
Format and certificate
One day, in person or live online, in English or German cohorts. Participants receive an LBR Youth Mental Health Response certificate; this is not an externally accredited clinical qualification.
Common questions
- Who is HOLD for?
- Teachers, form tutors, pastoral staff, learning-support colleagues and anyone who sees the same young people every week and is often the first adult they talk to.
- How long is HOLD?
- One day. It is the staff tier of Youth Mental Health Response and the prerequisite for LEAD.
- Does HOLD turn teachers into counsellors?
- No. HOLD is about the first response: noticing early, staying present in the conversation and handing over to the right person. It is explicit about where a teacher's role ends.
- Is HOLD the same as Mental Health First Aid?
- No. HOLD is part of Youth Mental Health Response, which is independently developed and MHFA-informed, not an accredited MHFA course. Participants receive an LBR certificate, not an externally accredited clinical qualification.
- Is this an accredited MHFA course?
- No. Our curriculum is independently developed and MHFA-informed rather than an accredited Mental Health First Aid course. It is not quality-assured by MHFA England or any official MHFA provider, and we are explicit about that so schools can choose what they need.
- What does 'MHFA-informed' actually mean?
- It means we share MHFA's first-response philosophy - notice the signs, stay calm, listen without fixing, guide towards the right help - but the content is our own, built around the ANCHOR framework and split across the NOTICE, HOLD and LEAD tiers. The programme is not quality-assured by MHFA England or another official MHFA provider.
- What certificate do participants receive?
- Participants who complete a Youth Mental Health Response tier receive the LBR Youth Mental Health Response Certificate - an LBR-issued professional training certificate, valid for three years. It is not an externally accredited clinical qualification.
Related pages
Ask us about this programme
Tell us a little about your school or family and we will reply with dates, formats and pricing - usually within one working day.
Explore Youth Mental Health Response
Explore Youth Mental Health Response. MHFA-informed training that gives teachers a clear, confident role in a student crisis.