I Matter® Relationship Health Learning Certificates 

Being a human being and being a partner or a parent or carer don’t come with a manual.

And life situations and family life changes over time.

You and others are changing, children and adults are growing, needs shift, and what works at one stage may need to be adjusted at another.

These certificates can help adults and young people to:

• Step back from everyday life situations
• Think about what you are experiencing
• Learn the useful ideas of the I Matter Framework
• Notice what you are learning and applying
  
• Build confidence step by step
• Reflect on what is changing in your life and family 
• Recognise progress without pressure or judgement
• Revisit and refresh your understanding as you and others grow

They are designed to support you over time, not just at a single point.

A journey you can return to

Personal and family life is not static — and neither is this pathway.

You can revisit I Matter Learning and the certificates every 2 years or at key transitions or developmental stages, for example:

• Starting a new relationship
• Becoming a parent
• Managing a life transition
• Early years
• Primary school years
• Early adolescence
• Teen years
• Young adulthood transitions
• Caring for older adults

Each stage brings new challenges, new dynamics, and new opportunities to apply relationship health principles in different ways.

Returning to the certificates allows you to:

• Refresh your understanding
• Reconnect with key ideas
• Reflect on what has changed for you and in your family
• Build on your previous learning rather than starting again

Certificate levels

The certificates are organised into four stages. You do not need to move through them in a fixed way.

Many individuals and parents move back and forth between stages depending on what is happening in their life and family.

🌱 Exploring Relationship Health - Introduction Stage

This certificate recognises that you have begun engaging with the ideas behind relationship health.

You may notice:

• You are starting to think differently about behaviour and communication
• You are becoming more aware of stress responses (in yourself and your child)
• You are curious about new ways of understanding family dynamics

This is the beginning of the journey — building awareness and language.

🌿 Starting to Apply Ideas at Home - The Getting Started Stage

This certificate recognises that you have started a learning process and are beginning to think about these ideas in everyday family life.

You and others may notice:

• You pause more before reacting
• You are beginning to notice patterns in behaviour and stress
• You are trying small changes in how you respond
• You are reflecting more on what is happening in the moment

This stage is about experimentation and gentle change.

🌳 Building Confidence in Practice - The Fundamentals Stage

This certificate recognises that you have actively committed to a period of learning about relationship health and about your I Matter role.

You and others may notice:

• You are using tools and ideas more intentionally
• You are building routines that support calmer interactions
• You are able to reflect and adjust in real time
• You are feeling more confident in difficult moments

This stage is about strengthening consistency and confidence.

🌼 Embedding Relationship Health in Family Life - The Deep Dive Stage

This certificate recognises that you are committed to relationship health and I Matter thinking as a part of everyday personal and family life.

You and others may notice:

• You use a shared language within your family
• You are able to support difficult moments with more confidence
• You are helping to create calmer patterns over time
• You are thinking systemically about relationships, not just individual behaviour

This stage reflects integration and steadiness — not perfection.

How certificates are awarded

Certificates are based on taking part in online study and reflection and taking part in study support rather than testing or assessment.

We have two types of certificates:
+ Self-Help Only
+ Informal supported learning
+ Certified Supported Learning

They may be awarded through:

• Completion of I Matter® learning modules
  
• Completion of reflective prompts and personal insight work
• Self-declared learning supported by structured reflection questions

Informal Supported Learning Certificates are awarded through

• Participation in an informally organised local study group eg a book group
  
• Completion of reflections on your group learning
• Self-declared learning supported by structured reflection questions
  

Certified Supported Learning Certificates are awarded through

• Participation in guided sessions or workshops with a stated focus with a Lead Professional
  
• Completion of reflections on your group learning
• Confirmation of attendance

The focus is on recognising that you have made time to do some learning and reflection.   You are not being assessed.

Where possible supported learning enables you to join a group with some shared specific focus (eg age of child, specific application)

Certified Supported Learning Certificates are led by I Matter® Certificate Support Practitioners, via a participating organisation

Revisiting your certificate over time

As your children grow, your experience of family life changes.

You are welcome to revisit your certificate pathway every two years (or sooner if needed).

When you return, you may find that:

• You are applying ideas in new situations
• You notice different challenges and patterns
• You are ready to deepen or refresh your understanding
• You are supporting your child at a different developmental stage

Each return is a continuation — not a restart.

For professionals supporting families

Professionals working with individuals and parents and carers may choose to specialise in supporting the certificate journey across different ages and stages.

This may include:

• Life Transitions
• Working with young adults
• Working with couples
• Working with new parents
• Early years family support
• Primary school transition support
• Adolescence and emotional development work
• Complex needs and additional support contexts
• Whole-family relationship health coaching
• Divorce and separation
  
• Transition times
• Older adults

This creates a shared language between professionals and families, while still respecting the different roles each person holds.

Lead Professionals can also undertake training to become I Matter® Certificate Support Practitioners, helping families engage with the ideas in a structured but accessible way.

Why this matters

When parents and carers are supported to understand relationship health, they often describe:

• Feeling calmer and more confident
• Understanding behaviour in new ways
• Reducing conflict and reactivity
• Feeling more connected to their child
• Having clearer ways to respond under pressure

This is not about perfect parenting.

It is about building relationship awareness, confidence, and steadier connection over time.

Begin your journey

You can start wherever feels most helpful.

There is no right or wrong starting point — only what is most useful for your current stage of family life.

👉 Start I Matter Online Learning

👉 New here? Learn more: What is I Matter? 

👉 Return to refresh your understanding