Parent Carer Peer Support (PCPS) Training Programme - Applications Open
Applications are now open for our fully funded Parent Carer Peer Support (PCPS) Training Programme, starting November 2026.
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Training Programme Overview
The Parent Carer Peer Support (PCPS) Training Programme is delivered by the Charlie Waller Trust in partnership with leading universities and funded by NHS England. This comprehensive course based on the best available evidence is designed to strengthen the emerging workforce of parent carer peer support workers across the UK. Developed collaboratively with parents, carers, and professionals, the programme is tailored for parents and carers with lived experience who are either delivering or preparing to deliver peer support to families.
The PCPS Training Programme provides up-to-date knowledge, practical tools, and a shared framework to ensure safe, effective, and collaborative practice. It is suitable for those new to the role as well as experienced practitioners looking to consolidate or enhance their skills.
Delivered through a partnership model, the programme supports both parent carer peer supporters and children and young people’s mental health (CYPMH) services to develop, embed, or expand parent carer peer support.
The programme is designed to:
- Build a skilled, diverse, and reflective PCPS workforce
- Provide practical training, support, and supervision structures for parents carers and services
- Foster authentic partnerships between those with lived experience, services, and professionals
- Ensure safe, effective, and sustainable support for families navigating CYPMH systems
The PCPS Training Programme follows a structured curriculum, offering a clear framework for learning and development. This approach ensures consistency and quality across all cohorts.
Who can apply?
Parents and Carers: Those with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with mental health difficulties. Applicants must be volunteering or working with a children and young people’s mental health service, or intending to do so during/after the course and are committed to working or volunteering as a Parent Carer Peer Support Worker (PCPS Worker).
Services: UK-based providers supporting children and/or young people’s mental health (CYPMH) as part of their offer (even if solely delivering support to parents carers) including statutory services (e.g., NHS, local authority), voluntary and community sector (VCS) services, or education settings that currently offers, or is planning to offer, PCPS.
Applications must be made in partnership between a parent carer and a service. Both must submit a form for the application to be considered.
Commitments and eligibility - at a glance
For services
- UK-based providers supporting CYPMH
- Partnership with a parent carer with lived experience
- CYPMH professional supervisor to provide robust clinical supervision and supervision agreement is in place.
- Supervisor has/will attend the fully funded, half-day supervision training
- Commitment to attend Service Lead sessions and participate in evaluation
- Robust organisational policies (safeguarding, insurance, financial management)
- Plan for supporting PCPS Workers' development and experience
- Agreement to use the grant in line with eligibility and reporting requirements
For Parent Carers
- Lived experience of supporting your child or young person experiencing mental health difficulties.
- Commitment to the PCPS Worker role (already working/volunteering or intending to start)
- Commitment to programme attendance, self-directed learning, and learning log completion
- Commitment to engage with supervision and work with the CYMPH provider
- Basic IT skills and access to a device/internet (support available via grant if needed)
- Agreement to participate in evaluation and feedback
We ask all applicants to review the full eligibility and commitment criteria before applying. Reviewing these will help you determine if you are eligible, and ensure you fully understand what you are committing to.
What does the training involve?
Service Leads
A clear understanding of the purpose and benefits of the PCPS role, what to expect as a service provider, and the key steps required before trainees begin is fundamental to implementing and sustaining effective parent carer peer support within an organisation, as well as providing meaningful support to the PCPS Worker throughout their learning journey.
To support this, attendance at a mandatory Service Lead Meetings is required as part of the Programme. The service must confirm, as part of the application, that the Service Lead is committed to attending one of the scheduled Service Lead Meetings.
Meeting dates available for our November intake: Wednesday 28 October 2026 1pm - 2pm and Thursday 5 November 2026 2pm - 3pm
Parents and Carers
Our Parent Carer Peer Support Programme is parent-led and professionally supported, placing parent carers’ lived experience at the centre of the training.
As learners, parents and carers will receive dedicated support, including a technology and course induction, access to an online learning forum with tutors and fellow peers, and practical resources to help them develop their skills and confidence as Parent Carer Peer Support Workers.
The training is co-delivered by tutors with lived experience, ensuring relevance and authenticity throughout.
As part of the Programme, learners will benefit from:
- Course Induction and technology support for learners new to online learning
- 7 half-day online training sessions delivered by experienced parent carers and mental health professionals (minimum 80% attendance required to successfully complete the taught component; catch-up options available)
- 30 hours of self-directed learning with drop-in support available
- learning log based learning – evidence your progress in a style that suits you (written, spoken, or visual)
- Online learning platform (LMS) induction and ongoing support
- CPD certificate awarded on completion by awarding HEI
The curriculum covers a broad range of topics designed to equip parent carer peer supporters with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to make a lasting difference.
Key areas of learning include:
- Reflective practice & supervision
- Diversity and inclusion
- Navigating the children and young people’s mental health system
- Co-production & shared lived experience
- Managing groups
- Safety, self-care, transitions
Course timetable
To review the full schedule, including session dates, timings, and weekly topics, please download the course timetable for our upcoming intake below. Applicants can indicate their preferred teaching day (Monday or Wednesday) within their application, please ensure you specify your preference when applying.
Supervisors
Supervision is essential for all PCPS Workers, regardless of setting. Because they draw on their own lived experience to support others, supervision is vital to safeguard their well-being, maintain professional boundaries, and ensure safe, effective practice. To ensure supervisors are equipped for this unique role, each CYPMH service must have appropriate supervision in place before training begins.
We strongly encourage you to read our ‘Supervision Guidance and Training Requirements’ document as it covers recommended supervision arrangements and key FAQs for your application.
Nominated supervisors are required to attend a dedicated supervisor training session as part of the Programme. The service must confirm, as part of the application, that their nominated supervisor will attend one of our scheduled supervisor training sessions or has attended previously.
Training dates available for our November intake: Tuesday 27 October 2026 9am - 12.30pm and Monday 9 November 2026 9:30am – 1pm
PCPS Training Support Grants
Funded by NHS England, a training support grant of £3,305 per PCPS trainee is available to organisations in England. This funding is designed to support participation and development and can be used flexibly to support the PCPS Worker’s training and development, including salary, backfill, supervision, IT equipment, expenses, and reasonable adjustments.
You can apply for the grant as soon as your PCPS Worker is offered an unconditional place on the course. Each PCPS trainee is eligible for a one-time support grant, and organisations can apply for multiple grants if they have more than one learner on the course.
As part of your enrolment, you will receive a copy of the grant agreement questions to help you prepare your responses, along with comprehensive FAQs covering the payment process, eligibility, application steps, monitoring, and usage.
How to apply for the training programme
The PCPS Training Course application process has two parts:
1. The Service Application: Each service only needs to complete a single application form, regardless of the number of parents and carers (learners) they are supporting to join the course. You do not need to fill out multiple forms for multiple learners. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee that all parents and carers will receive a place.
2. The Parent Carer Application: Each parent or carer who wishes to join the course must complete their own individual application form.
Both the Parent Carer and Service parts must be submitted before the deadline, but they do not need to be submitted at the same time. Applications cannot be considered unless both parts are received.
Application checklist:
- Review all scheduled Programme dates to ensure you can attend the sessions that apply to you
- Service leads should also confirm that supervisors are available for their required sessions
- Download and review our guidance documents and our eligibility and commitments criteria
- Connect with your partner applicant to ensure both parts of the joint application are submitted before the deadline; they don’t need to be submitted at the same time.
Key dates:
- Application window: Monday 7 September – Friday 9 October 2026
- Tech Induction: Wednesday 28 October
- First course session: Week commencing 2 November
Looking for extra support or resources to help with your application? Access our application support & resource page!
On that page, you’ll find:
✓ An overview of the application process, including step-by-step guidance and important information for applicants.
✓ Supervision: guidance and overview; including FAQs, key supervision requirements, downloadable guidance, and a quick checklist to help you prepare.
✓ Options to arrange a one-to-one conversation with our team - book a one-to-one for either the service or parent carer application
✓ Useful resources: Including a sample job description and learn more about parent and carer peer support and the PLACE PCPS Network.