Do induction sessions need to recorded as separate courses?

A. No.

An induction session for a course that a learner has signed up to/is starting is not the same thing as is meant by the 1:1 information, advice and guidance sessions on the monitoring information return (MIR).

The Community Learning Mental Health Pilot specification required you to include the following in your offer:

(1) Pre-course discussion - and 1:1 support - individual support for each course participant, according to length of course, to help them select their course, discuss progress and plan for progression to employment, vocational/academic training and/or fulfilling family and community life. These sessions should be 1:1 and take place in private. This is what is meant on the MIR by “ 1:1 IAG/assessment interview”.

(2) Short, part-time non-formal courses to help eligible learners experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems to develop the tools, strategies and resilience to:

• manage and aid recovery from, mental health problems
• reduce their use of medical services
• re-engage with their families and communities
• progress to further learning/training and/or
• progress to work, or return to work.

These are what is meant on the MIR by:

• Specific course to manage symptoms/condition
• General ACL class

An induction session for any of these two types of courses, (i.e. a course that the learner is signed up to/starting) is simply that an induction session for a course and should not be recorded separately to their course.

(3) Informal ‘top-up’ mental health workshops, as required, for people who have
progressed from courses but need subsequent support at stressful times. This is what is meant by "Top-up/refresher session after completing a course’ on the MIR.

Each of the elements above must be recorded in learners' learning plans and be recorded separately on the MIR.