FREE MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING
Free Mental Health Training Courses for Health and Social Care
Free, practical online courses to help you understand mental health, spot when someone is struggling, and offer confident, compassionate support. Self-paced, on any device, with a free certificate every time.
Free online mental health training for care and support staff
Mental health is part of everyone’s health. Across health and social care, staff regularly support people living with anxiety, depression, psychosis and other mental health needs — while looking after their own wellbeing in demanding roles. Understanding mental health helps you respond with empathy, reduce stigma and get people the right help sooner.
At Care Learning, our free mental health courses are written for people working across the UK’s health and social care sector. Each is practical and self‑paced, works on any device, and includes a free certificate to evidence learning for induction, supervision, appraisals and inspection.
From everyday awareness to more specialist topics, our free courses give you the knowledge to support people well — and the confidence to have the conversations that make a difference. They suit people who are new to mental health as well as experienced staff who want a reliable refresher.
Because everything is free and online, you can use these courses across a whole team, as part of induction and supervision, and revisit any topic whenever you need a refresher — without stretching your training budget.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why mental health training matters
Around one in four people experience a mental health problem each year, and many of the people you support will be living with a mental health condition alongside their other needs. Staff who understand mental health can recognise early warning signs, respond calmly to distress and avoid the assumptions that lead to poorer care.
Good mental health awareness also protects your team. Care work can be emotionally demanding, and knowing how to look after your own wellbeing — and support colleagues — helps prevent burnout and keeps people in the roles they love.
For providers, confident, well-trained staff support the “safe”, “effective” and “caring” standards that regulators look for, and help create a culture where mental health is understood rather than feared.
Mental and physical health are closely linked, and people living with serious mental illness often face poorer physical health too. Staff who understand this can offer more joined-up, person‑centred support, and are quicker to notice when someone needs extra help.
Training also helps challenge the stigma that still surrounds mental health. When a whole team shares the same understanding, people feel safer to speak up — whether they are someone you support or a colleague who is struggling.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Understanding mental health and how to support it
Topics vary by course, but our free mental health training commonly covers:
Mental health awareness
Understand common mental health conditions and how they affect people day to day.
Anxiety & depression
Recognise the signs and offer practical, supportive, non-judgemental help.
Self‑harm & suicide awareness
Respond with compassion, reduce stigma and know where to turn for help.
Psychosis & serious mental illness
Understand less common conditions and support people to live well.
Wellbeing & recovery
Promote wellbeing, resilience and recovery‑focused support.
Mental Health First Aid
Feel confident starting a supportive conversation and stepping in early.
WHY LEARN WITH US
Mental health training built on compassion
Practical, stigma-free learning that helps you support other people — and yourself.
Free for everyone
Free mental health courses for staff and whole teams — no fees and no subscriptions.
Certificates for your CPD
Evidence your mental health learning for supervision, appraisals and inspection.
Learn at your own pace
Short, self-paced courses on any device, whenever you have a quiet moment.
Kind and evidence-informed
Built on trusted guidance and a compassionate, person-centred approach.
WHO IT’S FOR
Made for everyone who supports mental health
Whether you are new to the subject or refreshing your practice, these courses meet you where you are.
BROWSE COURSES
Free Mental Health courses
Choose a course to start learning. Every course is free, with a downloadable certificate when you finish.
New mental health courses are added regularly, so it is worth checking back — and if there is a topic you would like us to cover, just let us know.
Support mental health with confidence — for free
Build the knowledge to respond with empathy and get people the right help sooner. Join thousands of UK care professionals training with Care Learning.