FAQs
A list of our most frequently asked questions.
Membership
1. Is an Institutional Membership transferable to new members of staff?
Yes, but only in certain cases. If your organisation holds an Institutional Membership, we can transfer membership on a like-for-like basis once the new individual has successfully completed an application. All new members must apply individually, as our application process forms an important part of our quality assurance mechanisms.
2. I see students one-to-one as part of my work but I don't meet the criteria to apply as an Accredited Practitioner, what can I do?
We are not currently able to audit and quality assure any members who do not meet this criteria. Please apply as an Associate Member. You may still want to follow our CPD and Supervision guidelines which are designed to support members of staff in student-facing roles.
If you have any questions about eligibility, please email us.
3. My job role has changed slightly following a service restructure. What do I need to do?
In the first instance, please email us. If your role has changed significantly you may be asked to complete a new application form.
4. I used to be a UMHAN member and would like to re-join. Do I need to complete a new application form?
Yes please! It's likely that some of your details will have changed since you were last a member (and our application form too). Please complete a new one online.
5. Can my membership be suspended?
Yes it can. Please inform us if you are planning on going on maternity/paternity or other carer's leave, or are experiencing long-term ill health. We can then discuss suspending your membership with you and the period of time likely to be needed.
We aim to be flexible to suit your needs, and will try to help lessen the impacts of ill health or long-term leave on your working practice. To avoid any undue anxiety for you, please contact us as soon as possible.
6. What are the effects of suspending my membership?
- Your online UMHAN account will be unavailable including access to member-only materials
- You will be removed from the Community Forum and will not be able to attend networking events unless prearranged with the Charity Manager
- You will be removed from the Public Register meaning you will not be eligible to undertake DSA paid mentoring work
- You will not be liable for audit during the period your membership is suspended.
Please visit our Resources page on Termination of membership and lapsed membership.
7. I am a UMHAN member but I can't seem to log-in to my account on the website/it says I am locked out?
Please contact us and we will look into this for you ASAP!
8. Will you still send me a certificate when I join/renew my membership?
No, we no longer issue certificates. It is very easy for employers to check the Public Register to verify your membership status. You can also provide them with a screenshot of your membership plan if required.
Specialist Mental Health Mentoring
1. I want to become a Specialist Mental Health Mentor but don't have the right qualifications what should I do?
Please see our webpage for the full list of required qualifications. The mandatory qualifications for mentoring were set by the Department of Education after consultation with the sector. We cannot provide further advice about how to obtain the qualifications listed. We can only accept members with the listed qualifications.
2. I am looking for a job as a Mental Health Mentor do you have any roles available?
No, we are an accredited body for Specialist Mental Health Mentors (- if you secure a role please consider joining us!) and do not employ mentors directly. The Student Loans Company has a Non Medical Helper (NMH) supplier list which can be downloaded and you can see all the different organisations who employ mentors - if you look in column H you'll see those that take on SM-MH (specialist mentor-mental health). There is also NMH Search - a directory of organisations providing non medical help support including mental health mentors. Again, you can tailor this to search for those that provide mental health support.
Supervision
1. If I were to change my supervisor how might this impact my renewal for membership?
If you are in a position where you must change supervisor, please ensure your CPD and supervision logs are signed off by the person supervising you at the time in question in order to have a clear record of your adherence to UMHAN's requirements. Please update your supervisor's details on your web account. Contact us and let us know.
2. Does the supervisor have to be a specifically trained supervisor who can supervise therapists, or can it be anyone who is a member of an approved professional body?
Supervisors must be members of an approved professional body and we recommend that they have supervisory experience or training. Please see our webpage about supervisors for more information.
3. I don't work in the summer - do I still need to have supervision?
Accredited Practitioner members (Mental Health Advisers and Specialist Mental Health Mentors) are expected to have a minimum of an hour's supervision each working month i.e. you will need to have 9 hours in total if you do not work in the summer. Please see our most up to date guidance which gives more detail about this.
4. Where can I find the UMHAN CPD and Supervision guidance documents?
These are available on the Membership Framework webpage. You'll find the Capability and Conduct Framework, alongside our Supervision and CPD guidance for practitioner members.
Audit
1. I only work during term-time. What do I need to do if I am randomly selected for audit?
If you only work term-time and are randomly selected for audit, please ask your supervisor or employer to send us a short email explaining that you only work during term-time and do not see any students over the summer.
2. I was not working for part of the year - am I still liable for audit?
Please refer to the question above about informing us if you are not working and need to suspend your membership. If you have not told us this information in advance, we may request some further evidence.
