New Beacon give us the lowdown on their forthcoming Mental Health Masterclass

Ask any teacher about the impact of Covid and lockdowns on children’s development and it will not be long before the words ‘anxiety’ and ‘focus’ make an appearance. It may be the case that we are generally better at identifying such traits as ADHD though, more likely, such traits are on the increase. This is the central theme of the forthcoming ‘Mental Health Masterclass’ at The New Beacon School on 17th March.

The keynote speaker is the globally recognised expert on young people’s mental health, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith, with her talk entitled, Anxiety, Autism and ADHD: Practical Ideas for Understanding and Supporting. The intended audience is educators and parents – or simply those who are interested in the development and wellbeing of young people.

Of concern to all parents is their children’s online presence. James Storey-Mason, Head of Digital Wellbeing at Tonbridge School, will educate and advise on not just the pitfalls of social media but also the benefits, giving tips to parents on how to support and monitor their children’s online activity. 

Alice Palmer (on behalf of the Charlie Waller Trust) will speak on the sensitive topic of self-harm, identifying the warning signs, recognising the stigma and helping to enable supportive conversations.

The day will finish with a panel of speakers, experts in this field, taking questions from the audience and Pooky Knightsmith giving closing advice on how those who look after others should make sure they are looking after themselves.

On the evening of 15th March Dick Moore – who has spoken to audiences of educators and parents across the world to great acclaim – will give his own masterclass. He identifies behaviours which can signal warnings about mental health while touching on neuroscience and ways of supporting. Admission is free to this event with donations requested to The Charlie Waller Trust, mental health charity.

You can book your place by visiting newbeacon.org.uk

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