Many people who complete mental health training courses are left with a certificate, but little idea what to do with it.
What a Certificate Actually Shows
A mental health training certificate is a document that confirms that an individual has completed a particular course of study on a particular date(s). This is often issued by the course provider and will contain details of the course title, duration of study, the issuing organisation, and the name of any accrediting organisation. It is always a good idea to check the details of the certificate before distributing to others and if in doubt ask the course provider for written confirmation of the missing information.
Accredited Versus Non-Accredited Courses
Accredited training has been quality checked by an external body, such as MHFA England or a regulated awarding organisation, i.e. The Open College Network (OCN), City & Guilds, etc. Non accredited courses can still deliver relevant and excellent training, but the certificate issued will carry less weight if required as evidenced by a professional body or employer. Always check the certificate or course description to establish if the course has been accredited by an external body.
What CPD Points Mean in Practice
Many training courses will award Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points or hours for completion of a course. It is good practice to log your CPD in a log which should contain the following details: title of course, date of course, duration of course, learning outcomes of course and how you will apply learning to your work. For HR and people professionals, this is covered in the CIPD factsheets on Continuing Professional Development. Courses delivered locally, such as our Mental Health Training Courses Newport, will carry the same certificate and have the same CPD value to online delivered courses.
Storing Certificates for Compliance
Training certificates for mental health should be stored in relevant HR files by employers for audit, insurance purposes and proof of their duty of care. A simple spreadsheet recording name of person, name of course, date of course and expiry date would suffice for small businesses.
More on Mental Health Training Courses Newport can be found at www.tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/newport/.
Good records are to protect both the individual and the organisation in case of any future dispute.
