This virtual masterclass has been written and is facilitated by an ex-SENCo now qualified CBT Therapist, and Counsellor to help anyone supporting the mental health of neurodiverse students.
Mental health problems are increasingly seen in neurodiverse young people who have more complex needs. SEN students are six times more likely to suffer with mental-health issues and all too often the support available for education settings does not consider students who are neurodiverse.
This practical Masterclass has been put together to help you to understand why this group of people are more likely to suffer mental health problems and how that can manifest. You will hear about ‘affective education’ and how it can be used to support pupils with social and emotional skills.
Using this knowledge, you will consider the individual needs of neurodiverse children dependent upon their condition. Looking at what resources are needed and what support can be offered at a whole school level. You will also look closely at interventions, what works and what doesn’t and what steps you can take within your school.
You’ll have plenty of opportunity to network with colleagues from other settings, as well as Sam, your expert speaker. Enabling you to delve into the specific challenges you are facing in your setting.
Key Learning Objectives
This masterclass will enable you to:
Understand the relationship between special education needs and mental health
Explore the increased prevalence of mental health problems amongst neurodiverse children
Get to grips with how ‘affective education’ can improve the support available for neurodiverse children
Empower children and young people to talk about their emotions and take control of their mental health
Explore which therapeutic interventions can be facilitated by staff and in which circumstances
Meet individual children’s needs by modifying available resources
Promote inclusivity across your whole school setting
Understand what you can do to identify mental health difficulties amongst staff and take positive steps to avoid burnout
Facilitator
Sam is a renowned speaker, trainer and author specialising in mental health and SEN. She has been a SENCo in a large secondary school and is a qualified Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and a Child and Adolescent Counsellor. Sam also set up a company providing mental health CBT programmes for schools. She is in high demand to speak at conferences and events and provides in-house training for schools and companies, nationally and internationally. Lauded for her humour and ‘telling it like it is’ approach to mental health, Sam has had her book Mental Health in Education published by Routledge, and regularly writes for several publications with more books in the pipeline for publication.
