Posted 6th January 2026
Before and after: Updates to our Family Intervention for Psychosis and Bipolar Training 12-month course (ten taught days)
The NHS Long-Term Plan and Community Mental Health Framework emphasize integrated, locally tailored services for adults with severe mental health problems. NICE-recommended psychological therapies are essential for recovery and wellbeing. Health Education England, funded by NHS England, has developed a national curriculum.
The Meriden Family Programme is one of four providers delivering a 12-month online training via Microsoft Teams for staff in community adult and older adult services. Within this course we equip practitioners to deliver evidence-based Family Intervention (FI) both face-to-face and remotely.
We began facilitating this course in 2020. Since then, while the curriculum remains consistent, our delivery has evolved significantly. Through experience and delegate feedback, we’ve introduced improvements to make the course more accessible and flexible.
Course Changes: 2020 vs 2025
2020
- Delegates submitted a full portfolio (including a reflection for each taught day and supervision).
- BFT training delivered over 4 days (instead of 5).
- All assignments submitted in writing.
- Mandatory audio recording of a session; no alternative if consent was declined.
2025
- Portfolio now collated by Meriden trainers; unnecessary written reflections removed.
- Delegates provide proof of in-house supervision.
- BFT training extended to 5 days.
- Delegates can submit assignments in writing or verbally. This offer is open to all delegates.
- New option: assessed role-play if recording consent cannot be obtained.
What do the delegates think?
“I chose to submit my case study in verbal format. The whole process felt supportive from start to finish. The guidelines for submitting were clear and transparent which helped me understand what the requirements of the case study were. Submitting the case study verbally helped me to balance the requirements of the course with working in the NHS. I have found that this is something the Meriden staff have been very good at throughout the FI course, which I really appreciate! It can feel anxiety provoking to share clinical work in this format. I felt that the Meriden staff took steps to reduce this as much as possible. I really welcomed the opportunity to be able to share my work and learning from the course so far. I have never had the option of submitting a case study verbally before and would highly recommend it.”
— Charlotte (Clinical Psychologist and 2024 delegate)
“I found the assessed role play allowed me to showcase the skills I currently use when delivering a session of family work/BFT in a safe space and I felt at ease doing it in this way. This can also overcome the barriers with seeking consent from families or when family work is cut short due to relapse which happened in my case. I think it was able to capture the requirements that the audio would be evaluated on. It felt slightly easier to do this in an artificial setting rather than with a family in real time.”
— Chloe (Family Interventions Coordinator and 2024 delegate)
You can find more feedback on the course from a previous delegate here: Review of our Family Intervention for Psychosis & Bipolar Course – Meriden Family Programme
How to apply
Regional leads allocate places on this course. Complete the form on the booking page to register your interest. We will then forward your details to the lead in your area.
Follow the link below for more information about the course.