2024 Conference programme released!
See below for this year’s exciting programme and book your free place at https://bit.ly/SteppingUpSafaplace24
2024 PROGRAMME DETAILS AND SPEAKER BIOGS
12.30 WELCOME: Michael Collins, Safaplace Chair
Mindfulness teacher and speaker Nick Hammond leads a short mindfulness session.
Nick has 30+ years’ experience as a company director working in marketing. In 2018, following the death of his son Rory, by suicide, Nick embraced the world of mindfulness. As a registered mindfulness teacher and speaker, Nick’s passion is using awareness of mindfulness techniques to assist people in dealing better with challenges (big or small) whether in the community or in the workplace.
More information can be found at www.mindfulnessmatter.today.
PRESENTATION: An introduction to trauma-informed care and practice
Dr Lucy Carter
FHEA PGCert (Teaching and learning), MRCGP MBBS, DRCOG, DFFP, BSc (London) Sociology
A short talk by Dr Lucy Carter introducing trauma-informed care and practice and the role of London Aces hub. She will discuss how clinicians support trauma-informed practice in their daily work which includes supporting vulnerable young people of Islington and Hackney.
Dr Lucy Carter, an experienced GP, has transitioned from being a GP Partner to a salaried GP in North East London. She has worked as a GP in London since 2001.
Until recently, Lucy also worked as a senior lecturer at Queen Mary University (PA programme) and taught medical students. She continues to be an examiner at Queen Mary University. Lucy has clinical interests in mental health, women’s health, equality, and diversity. She is also interested in teaching medical students, GP trainees and Physician associates.
Lucy is a trustee of Shoreditch Trust and a member of the London ACES hub, an organisation that supports those affected by adverse childhood experiences.
PRESENTATION: Tim Linehan. Tim Linehan is a parent of a child who experienced Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) and is an activist for inclusive schools. He has worked for child and mental health charities for most of his professional life. Most recently he carried out a survey of families in Hackney whose children had experienced EBSNA.
WORKSHOPS: 1.15-2.00PM
WORKSHOP: Let’s Talk about Talking, Exploring Family Communication
Jo Law, Family & Systemic Psychotherapist
In this group session, Jo will be using some exercises and techniques to explore the importance of talking within the family – and how to improve communication in particularly challenging times.
Jo has worked in both Adult and CAMHS Mental Health Services since 1996. She qualified as a Family & Systemic Psychotherapist in 2015, having trained at the IOPPN, Kings College London. She has accreditation with UKCP and AFT.
She now works as an Independent Psychotherapist at The Sunflower Centre in Brockley SE London, with families, young people, couples, and individuals.
WORKSHOP: KoothTalks: Supporting Your Children with Their Mental Health
Clio Oji and Eleanor Cammegh
Clio and Eleanor from Kooth will give an overview of how they work as a mental health service for young people. They will be talking about how young people can access support, and offer tips for parents and carers when talking to children about their feelings.
Kooth is a digital mental health platform, founded in 2001, commissioned by the NHS and local authorities to provide support for young people across the UK with their mental health. All users who sign up are anonymous, removing barriers such as stigma, and can have access to a range of mental health support tools, including chats with a qualified practitioner/counsellor.
WORKSHOP: Dyslexia, negativing the education system and writing a book
Marcia Brissett-Bailey
Marcia explains how finding strategies and fostering collaboration among students, parents, educators, and support professionals, it is possible to create inclusive and supportive educational environments where students with dyslexia can thrive and succeed.
Marcia Brissett-Bailey is an advocate of dyslexia and neurodiversity champion, and author of the book ‘Black, Brilliant, and Dyslexic’. She is passionate about enabling other dyslexic and neurodiverse people to find their voice, in having positive role models as dyslexia does not discriminate. Marcia has navigated her education and career by ‘hacking the system’, to develop tools that have earned accolades including one of the Top 50 Influential Neurodivergent Women in the UK, and the British Dyslexia Adult of the Year Award. She has also been named one of the 133 Women Who Changed the World in 2023.
Marcia is a special educational specialist and has worked for the last 30 years as an educator from primary school to Higher education and inner London local authority. She has worked the majority of her career in post-16 education as a qualified careers adviser and SEND lead supporting students to achieve their aspiration and support career building and management.
WORKSHOP: Emotional Based School Avoidance: How can we help when we feel powerless?
Sarah Johnson MA NPQH FCCT
Sarah Johnson has worked in education for the last 20 years. As a qualified teacher, Sarah has enjoyed roles in mainstream schools, Pupil Referral Units, Alternative Provision and psychiatric in-patient services. Sarah is the author of the book ‘Behaving Together: A Teacher’s Guide to Nurturing Behaviour’. Sarah’s most recent contribution to supporting schools are her books ‘All about SEMH’ which are practical guides for primary and secondary school teachers to support children.
As a member for the Department of Education’s Alternative Provision stakeholder group, she has supported development of policy such as the recent SEND and AP green paper as well as chairing a range of panels and events within the education sector.
WORKSHOP: Communication with teens around substance misuse
Joe Shearer / The Amy Winehouse Foundation
A talk on contributing factors to substance misuse and how to support young people by Joe Shearer from the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Founded by Amy’s family, the Amy Winehouse Foundation helps thousands of young people to feel supported and informed, so that they are better able to manage their emotional wellbeing and make informed choices around things that can affect their lives. In Amy’s memory, the Foundation works to inspire children and young people to build their self-esteem and resilience, so they can flourish. Their work is inspired by Amy’s spirit, her love of children and the challenges that she faced in her own life.
WORKSHOP: One mother’s experience of supporting a trans child
Molly, a parent in Hackney
A lived experience talk about parenting a trans child through secondary school and beyond, covering friends, sport, mental health and family relationships, with an opportunity to ask questions in a safe and friendly space.
WORKSHOP: Supporting children in secondary school
Pip Dudmish and Jenny Diprose in conversation with Rose White
Pip and Jenny will share some of the strategies they use when supporting secondary school children’s mental health and well-being in their roles in school, including the importance of building rapport and trusting relationships.
Pip has worked in a Hackney school for 18 years. She was originally part of the Behaviour Mentor Team, leading on Anti-Bullying across the school, and is now part of the Pastoral Team for the Lower School. She has a focus on transition from primary to secondary school and runs groups to support this process. She also runs Boys to Men groups and girl groups discussing issues around growing up etc. She is trained in Restorative Justice and solution-based therapy and uses these often when dealing with conflict between students and staff and students. Before working in a school, she worked in the animation film industry.
Jenny is a Pastoral Support Worker and Head of Year at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form. She has a background in Fine Art and worked in TV broadcasting for over 20 years. Her main skillset is listening and allowing people to be heard – and feel like they are being heard. She tends to call herself ‘a big ear’ however understands people just need some time to speak.
BREAK 2.00PM – 2.30PM
PRESENTATION: An introduction to SilverCloud
Joshua Wilton, Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)
Joshua Wilton is an Education Mental Health Practitioner working for City & Hackney Mental Health Support Team in East London NHS Foundation Trust. His work consists of providing schools-based outreach support for young people with low mood and anxiety in the form of 1-1 sessions, groups, parent-led work and workshops. He is also a digital lead in his team, helping to promote the value of using the digital platform, SilverCloud.
SilverCloud is an CBT-based digital mental health platform designed to support children and young people through a range of programmes. It includes reflective tools, psychoeducational content, and the capacity to be guided by clinicians. SilverCloud has proven to be highly rated by parents and young people who have used it and has helped to make meaningful progress for young people within our service.
PRESENTATION: An introduction to Kooth
Clio Oji and Eleanor Cammegh
PANEL DISCUSSION led by Safaplace trustee Richard Allen
CLOSING REMARKS AND ENTERTAINMENT