Cheshire AMHP (Approved Mental Health Professional) Partnership

• Ceredigion Council
• Cheshire East Council (host authority)
• Cheshire West and Chester Council 
• Conwy County Borough Council
• Denbighshire County Council
• Flintshire County Council
• Gwynedd Council
• Halton Borough Council
• Isle of Anglesey County Council
• Isle of Man Government
• Knowsley Council
• Liverpool City Council
• Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
• Monmouthshire Council
• Powys County Council
• Sefton Council
• Shropshire Council
• Warrington Borough Council
• Wirral Council
• Wrexham County Borough Council

• AMHP Partnership 2025 training and meeting dates (PDF, 299KB)

For the AMHP training candidates must undertake a (minimum) 51 day assessed practice placement within a Community Mental Health Team. The Partnership recommends this be increased to 60 days for candidates from a community team without experience in a mental health team.

Each partner authority arranges placements for their own candidates. The structure and management of the placement will be dependent on local need and the circumstances of the individual candidate.

The Partnership recommends candidates undertake their placement outside their home team, and have a reduced case load for the duration of the training.

Placement timings are negotiated with the employer and AMHP training programme. It is preferable that candidates begin the placement either after the first module or immediately after the second (Law) module. The placement is ideally spread over a longer period rather than a shorter more intense block, as this is more likely to provide the opportunity to experience and collect the various competency evidence required for the portfolio.

All members have signed an agreement endorsed by the PMG that there will be 12.5 days available to candidates for private study and a further five days specifically for completing the portfolio.

It is unlikely these will be taken during the placement, and some will be taken once the taught modules and placement are completed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to negotiate these study days with their employer to ensure they are taken as and when the work needs to be completed.

The portfolio is the assessed piece of work attached to module three. This is a portfolio of evidence compiled by the candidate which demonstrates how they have met each of the competencies for AMHP practice.

It must include a minimum of 2 Observed Practices, 5 Shadow Assessments and 6 Records of Supervision.

Guidance and advice on meeting the exact requirements is a topic covered at different times throughout the programme and portfolio workshops following the taught course.

The portfolio will be assessed by the Practice Assessor (PA), verified and reviewed by a Review Panel, which consists of an independent chair, people with lived experience (PWLE) and the programme lead. Following the Review Panel, the portfolio is passed to the University Academic Awards Board, which awards a final Pass or Fail.

The portfolio and written assignment for module two can be submitted in Welsh if required. Candidates should notify programme staff as soon as possible if they intend to submit their portfolio in Welsh.

We interview candidates prior to accepting them onto the programme. The process involves a three person interview panel composed of a Programme member, an experienced Practice assessor (PA) and a PWLE. We ask a series of questions to gauge the applicant’s understanding of the AMHP role and their own relevant experience. We have active involvement from PWLE from application through to the portfolio analysis, including during the taught course, and find it invaluable. We also solicit the assistance of PWLE at meetings of the Programme Team and the PMG, and they help to keep us focused on the key duty of helping people that forms the core of the AMHP role.

All candidates on the AMHP training programme must have a PA. It is partner authorities’ responsibility to provide and allocate sufficiently trained and experienced PAs to meet the needs of their candidates.

PAs should be experienced AMHPs or have recent experience in the field. They should also understand the assessor role and have access to all necessary support and resources to enable them to carry out the role.

Their main purpose is to support candidates in meeting both academic and practice requirements of the programme. PAs are also required to act as second academic marker for candidates’ academic assignments. In some organisations the PA is a dedicated role, whilst in the majority it is undertaken in addition to their day-to-day role.

Assessors should ideally meet the standards for Practice Development Educators (PDEs): visit Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) - BASW for more information on Support for PDEs.

The Programme Coordinator is available to PAs for information, advice or guidance on any aspect of the programme.

We also hold PA support meetings every 6 to 8 weeks during the programme (Jan-Oct), to share information, knowledge and skills and ensure assessors are kept up to date with programme developments. It is expected that employers will support assessors to attend these meetings and workshops. This is a necessary component for PA who have not undertaken the role previously, and particularly if they do not hold a practice education award.

An information pack about the PA role is available on request.