At least one in four people in their lifetime will experience mental health difficulties. Areas of difficulty in college often include concentration, staying in the classroom, changes in behaviour, difficulty in building on previous learning. Common strengths are creativity, empathy for others and 'thinking outside the box'.

Many learners with mental health difficulties learn successfully without any additional support.

Support for your learning could include:

• Confidential enquiry service
• Screening assessments to identify learning support needs
• Study skills group support sessions
• Access arrangements and adjustments for exams
• Support for self-esteem issues and referral to the College counselling team
• Referral to specialist tutor for extra support
• Support to arrange assessments for learners entering higher education
• Guidance for course tutors and staff development about including learners with mental health issues
• Liaison with external agencies, e.g. community psychiatric nurses (CPNs), social workers, support workers, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and GPs

Additional discrete provision for learners with mental health difficulties

The entry level program (formerly "access to education and training") provides learning opportunities for learners with severe and enduring mental health difficulties as a discrete provision both in and out of college, at Entry Level. Our aim is to remove barriers to further education for learners experiencing mental health issues within an equal opportunities and inclusive framework.

The programmes aims are:

• To encourage integration at all academic levels and throughout all facilities in the college
• To maintain and develop community liaison and inter-agency links
• To develop mental health awareness within Liverpool Community College

Due to the nature of the work, tutors are flexible and respond to learners who may:

• Arrive late for class
• take breaks in attendance because of the cyclical nature of their mental illness
• Demonstrate a change in behaviour
• Hear voices during class
• Experience side-effects of medication such as feeling sleepy, anxious, hyperactive, depressed, tearful, nauseous, paranoid, hot, cold or thirsty
• Have an inability to concentrate
• Need frequent breaks
• Take time out from periods of concentration
• Have difficulties building on previous learning

Full and part-time courses are provided in the College alongside a variety of outreach provisions in the community. Some learners may progress from outreach centre into college based or mainstream courses.

Learners are involved in reviewing their own progress once every term. Small personal achievements are acknowledged and noted. individual learning plans (ILPs) are revised every term in the term review. Learners who successfully complete their identified learning objectives are recognised by a college validated Entry Level award.