A pioneering conference for local schools is taking place at the Riviera International Conference Centre (RICC) on Wednesday 5 October and is aimed at improving the emotional health and wellbeing of young people in education.
Executive Lead for Health and Wellbeing and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Derek Mills, said: “It is vital that we recognise the importance of providing support to help maintain the health and wellbeing of our young people. I believe this goes hand in hand with providing them with other opportunities.
“This conference is a wonderful opportunity to help those in education recognise emerging issues or those times when they may be able to provide support for young people or signpost to professional services.”
Representatives, including headteachers, from all primary and secondary schools and organisations have been invited to attend the conference with key note speakers Professor Katherine Weare and Jenny Barksfield, Deputy Chief Executive of the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PHSE).
Professor Katherine Weare is known for her work on mental health, wellbeing, and social and emotional learning in schools. She is extremely well respected in this field and has advised policy makers and developed practical strategies for schools.
As a national body, the PHSE Association provides expert advice and guidance to members with the aim of driving up personal, social, health and economic education standards across the country.
Attendees will be able to explore hot topics through a series of workshops, network and share ideas with colleagues from Torbay. Workshop topics include:
– Key issues facing Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) and young people
– Responding to mental health problems in schools – what are our next steps?
– Increasing access to mental health support in schools
During the morning, headteachers will be invited to discuss challenges and opportunities with a panel which will include Caroline Dimond, Director of Public Health: Andy Dempsey, Director of Children’s Services; Sue Matthews, Children and Young People, Public Health; Professor Katherine Weare and Jenny Barksfield, Deputy Chief Executive of PHSE.
The panel sessions will provide the opportunity to discuss important questions such as how are issues of emotional wellbeing addressed in schools, what is needed to develop these agendas and what lessons have been learnt.
In addition, 26 exhibitors will be attending the conference covering a wide range of areas including the EACH (Educational Action Challenging Homophobia), The Children’s Society – Checkpoint, Torbay Primary Mental Health Workers, Health Learning Torbay, Community Safety, Play Torbay and Jigsaw PHSE.
The exhibitors will be on hand for advice across many different service areas including how to incorporate a mindfulness approach in primary schools to providing systems for support and questioning and around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in young people.
