stem4 held a very successful parent/carer mental health conference at Howard of Effingham School, Surrey on 11th November. The event catered for over 200 parents and carers as well as teachers from the local community, equipping them with essential information about how best to support teenage mental health. The conference was funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for Surrey.
With national resources stretched, only those young people who are assessed as the most serious are likely to receive help with their mental health. As a result, parents and schools are having to think of alternative support. The stem4 conference supplied parents, carers and teachers with the information and skills to understand what steps they can take to identify early symptoms and stem the growth of mental illness in a young person at an early stage. It also provided strategies on building resilience as well as suggestions on how best to support themselves and the rest of the family.
One attendee, Mark, who is both a teacher and a parent said, ‘I think that that was some of the most useful training I have ever experienced…I thought the presentation was of the highest quality, with useful advice and strategies and incredible speakers…it will significantly affect the way I interact with young people both at work and at home.’
Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist CEO and Founder of stem4 responded to the event saying, ‘I am delighted that the response was so positive. The aim of the conference is to provide parents with information from both clinical and personal perspectives on how to promote positive mental health in themselves as well as their families and to know what early steps they can take to spot early signs of mental ill-health and signpost to support. Parent and teacher participation in discussion was tremendous and our ambassadors were, as usual, incredibly inspiring and moving in their accounts.’
The conference included engaging ‘top tips’ talks by Dr Krause on supporting a child or young person with commonly occurring mental health issues such as anxiety, self-harm, depression and eating disorders. stem4 ambassador Iain Maitland also gave an inspiring talk about dealing with mental health from a parent’s perspective. Iain was open and frank about his journey with his son, Michael, who is also a stem4 ambassador and who experienced Anorexia Nervosa and depression over a 10 year period. The conference also featured a moving talk from Georgina Campbell who shared her own personal journey.
In line with stem4’s focus on tech and measurement of effectiveness, ‘clicker pads’ were used throughout to gain insights from parents and to measure improvements in their understanding. stem4’s app portfolio was also presented, including the brand new Combined Minds app. Combined Minds is a free app developed by stem4, clinically designed to help families and friends support young people with their mental health. It uses a ‘strengths-based’ approach, which focuses on the positive attributes of the person and builds on resourcefulness and resilience.