I MATTER FAQ

Don't panic!  You can use your magic log in link.  If you enter your email in the log in space you will receive a link.
Your initial course has a time-limit.  In order to retain access after the end of this time limit, you must become a member to access your course.

An I Matter Relationship Health Learning Journey always requires commitment to your own personal learning journey first.   There are several reasons for this.  i) Whether in a personal or professional role, we all have relationships that we find challenging.  These offer us opportunities to go deeper in our own understanding and personal growth.   When we commit to this learning process for ourselves then our relationships can become stronger and healthier and more enjoyable.  It is this commitment that most helps others.   There is always more to learn.    ii) Working through the I Matter steps will give you a structure for learning more about yourself and more about others keeping the  relationships you find most challenging in mind.  We always advise you prioritise this.   iii) Working through the steps will also help you learn the language of I Matter and how it can be used to help make sense of challenging situations.   When you have completed Step 2 online then you can apply for our I Matter Knowledge Assessment.   This is a key step to moving on to supporting others. 

The I Matter Learning Journey can be used to support a number of different types of relationship health situations.  The I Matter Framework was developed to help explain in a very practical way what the research evidence is telling us about how to best support improved child and adult mental health particularly when we are seeing escalated difficulties or challenging behaviour.    So the ideas can help young people, couples, parents-carers and professionals and leadership teams to work together.   The important detail is that each person focusses on their own learning process rather than on trying to get others to change.   

So an approved I Matter Practitioner may just run consultations with these ideas in mind, or they may work carefully through a series of steps in a 1:1 role to include assessment and coaching, or they may offer support via small groups.  I Matter training helps professionals ensure that parents-carers are more confident in knowing what to focus on and why and this helps them play a stronger more effective role which means intensive professional input is less needed.

In the first instance all I Matter Journeys and the resources that you receive are for your own personal development only to help you in your own relationships with a focus child at work or at home. You can refer to them informally but should not copy them to distribute to others.

Fundamentals training involves taking part in workshops and discussions with an approved Practitioner.   Core Training involves taking part in online learning.  Where possible the online learning is supported by discussion groups with an approved Practitioner.   We sometimes offer short taught courses which introduce the I Matter Framework quickly.   However an I Matter Learning Journey is intended to be about a longer term learning process and this is where the online learning and membership process can help you.  Fundamentals Plus and Core Plus Involves completing an assessment process.

The I Matter Training Learning Journey was initially designed to fill a training gap for parents-carers of children with mental health and behaviour challenges.  However it has proved to be helpful for all parents and for professionals working with children with challenges and with their families.

The Certificates and the Awards scheme are open to all young people and parents-carers who want to learn.  The Five Steps Awards indicate that the parent-carer is becoming an experts by experience and no professional training or qualifications are required.

The Certifications are for those with professional qualifications and experience and are as follows

Link Professional:  Accreditation to offer informed recommendations for parents with readiness for change
I Matter Practitioner 1: Accreditation as an I Matter Relationship Health Practitioner (working with young people in schools)
I Matter Practitioner 2: Accreditation as an I Matter Relationship Health Practitioner (working with families via clinics)
I Matter Practitioner 3: Accreditation as a School Lead I Matter Relationship Health Practitioner (young people and adults in school setting)
I Matter Practitioner 4:  Accreditation as an Advanced I Matter Relationship Health Practitioner (working with young people and adults with complex needs across home and school)

Phase 1 certification is for professionals working in a direct relationship with young people in schools and other services 

This is intended for professionals with a minimum of 6 hours direct contact time with a specific named pupil
There are two elements to this role:
i) Involves learning how to be in relationship with this child so as to best help them with their challenges
ii) Involves learning how to introduce them to I Matter ideas 

YES, working through the online training and attending workshops and study support is important, as you'll learn how the elements of the I Matter Framework fit together.   When you become registered as a Trainee Practitioner you will learn how to teach the ideas in 1:1 and small groups and how to use our assessment tools to inform your decision making.  You will get hints and tips and ideas through this process.  You will also hear stories about how people are using the ideas to make a difference.

You can run an I Matter Taster session for professionals in your service if you are an approved trainee or fully certified I Matter Practitioner Type 2b.  A taster session is an opportunity to help others understand the approach and how you are using it.  In work situations, please be aware that colleagues may sometimes prefer to complete the training with others that they are not working with.

You can run an I Matter Core Programme Discussion group for professionals in your service if you are an approved trainee or fully certified I Matter Practitioner Type 2b.  You will be someone with advanced qualifications and experience in working with child and adult mental health. or Everyone in your group should have their own online account.  In work situations, please be aware that colleagues may sometimes prefer to complete the training with others that they are not working with.

An I Matter intervention offered without an online accounts is known as an I Matter Fundamentals course.  If you want to run an I Matter Fundamentals Group for people who do not have an online account, you should have completed Certification training to include Extended online training and registered as a Trainee Lead Professional. The longer term learning process will help you to have a more in-depth understanding through having heard the ideas  and explored varied elements of applications

The ideas in the I Matter Framework are for everyone. However we make a distinction between the personal and the professional development paths.   The Certificates and Awards scheme is suitable for those without professional qualifications.

The Certification scheme is for professionals with qualifications and experience.   
The Link Role is for those who have completed Five Steps training and are an informed contact point for their own organisation
The Mentor role (Level 1) is for those working directly with children with challenges.

A Lead Educator (Level 2) - is a professional working in an education role with a focus on prevention.  

A Lead Clinical Practitioner (Level 3) is a professional with therapeutic training in a health or social care role with a focus on intervention.

These roles are by application and are considered on a case by case situation.   The Mentor role can only be offered if there is first someone committed to working for a Lead Educator or Lead Clinical Practitioner Role

Practitioners who go work with complex needs in complex systems (Lead 4), must have advanced qualifications and experience.

No, core training does not licence you to run workshops for others.  To run workshops for your colleagues you must be a school or service lead or advanced practitioner (level 3 or 4)   If not, then please direct them to the website and encourage colleagues and others register for their own learning journey.

If you are accepted for Level 2 or 3 or 4 certification, you will gain experience of supporting others on an I Matter Learning Journey. 

As a parent-carer or a trainee you cannot charge for your services.   However if you are a licensed professional who supports children and families and have become certified as an approved Lead then you can charge a modest amount for your time to cover room use and your time. 

The core Five Steps online learning programme is for professionals and for parents who want to equip themselves for a role ie for preparation or a strengthening of relationship health role.   On its own the Five Steps programme is not suitable for a recovery of relationship health journey.  When there are escalated or complex needs, more support is needed that is based in the persons own community.

Parents can have an online account to work through the core journey as a way of deepening their own understanding and skills.  

To take part in the core online journey when there is escalation or complexity, parents-carers must have a recommendation from an approved I Matter Professional who has a discussion with the individual and comes to a shared understanding regarding the suitability of the programme for the individual concerned.

To offer 1:1 coaching support you must have applied to be registered as a Trainee Clinical Practitioner.   You must be an experienced practitioner with a professional license with a well recognised body and have the full support of your employing organisation.   This support can be offered either through I Matter Direct or through your own professional organisational setting if your organisation is a member.   As a Trainee you cannot charge for your time, though if you are employed you may be able to offer support in your paid time.   Once approved you may charge a modest amount to offer 1:1 coaching support.

An I Matter clinic is an opportunity for a parent-carer to talk through their concerns with an experienced practitioner as part of joining an I Matter Core Journey.    An I Matter Clinic can only be offered by an Lead Clinical or Advanced Practitioner and can be a complement to the other assessment processes offered by the practitioner.   Experienced practitioners who are on the supporting others training can be licensed to use the I Matter Assessment Tools to support their decision making and progress tracking.

An Advanced I Matter Practitioner is an experienced professional who has advanced post gradualte level experience of supporting children and famileis.   To become an Advanced Practitioner, you must complete the Core and Extended Learning Journey's and must apply to be an Trainee Advanced Practitioner with an agreed I Matter Approved Consultant providing supervision.   You will run some I Matter Discussion groups and will be expected to work with famlilies where there are more escalated or complex needs

YES, one of the key purposes of the I Matter Training Course is to ensure that participants gain a solid foundation on which to buld their understanding of how to help children.    The reason for working through the ideas in order is that this process is a tried and tested way of ensuring that the foundational understanding is solid.  This is really important when it comes to complex problem soliving in challenging situations.

No. This is the advantage of clients having their own I Matter Core Online account.   Each step of the Journey is designed as a unique learning experience.  Each one buids on the previosu one but it is not necessary to complete all 5 steps unless this is actively helpful.    Some poeple can make big important changes just from an understanding into the earliest ideas.

In our experience, the concepts set out in the I Matter Learning Journey are most effective and impactful when taught systematically. in the specified order  In fact this is what is distinctive about an I Matter Journey.   Teaching the ideas not in the specified order, is not what is intended for an I Matter Journey.    Participants revisit a lot of important ideas in a very structured way, in a carefully selected order.  This ensures really solid foundations which equips them later to understand how to be effective in more complex situations.   Learning in a group introduces lots of opportunities for learning from others.  However, with a licence to work directly with clients using our resources, specific ideas can be tailored and personalised much more when taught individually.

The core written materials are copyrighted and cannot be changed, but we like to work with our network to ensure the experience meets diverse needs.  We encourage our Leads to be creative with their group teaching. If needing simpler graphics for posters, or with other languages we can be contacted with our suggestions. You know your clients and how they will learn best and we want to work with you. We stipulate that you keep the same "concepts" or ideas represented in different posters.   If you want to use individual concepts that you have used from I Matter Training in your own training for others then please make sure to reference where you have learned the ideas including both from the I Matter Framework Training and from the initial researchers whose ideas these concepts represent.