Schools in Mind seminars

Seminars and materials

Schools in Mind: An introduction to traumatic bereavement seminar

This seminar, chaired by Jaime Smith, hosted our colleagues from the UK Trauma Council (UKTC). The UKTC is a group of leading experts, drawn from a variety of disciples across all four nations of the United Kingdom (UK). It is the first UK-wide platform bringing together expertise in research, practice, policy and lived experience in the field of childhood trauma. The UKTC is hosted and supported by the Anna Freud Centre.

There have been more than 130,000 UK deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has created situations in which a death comes unexpectedly, without the chance to say goodbye, or where family members feel guilt that they may have brought the virus into the home. A huge number of children and young people will have been directly affected, through the death of a family member or someone else who was important in their life. 

Being bereaved is not, in itself, a mental health problem. However in a traumatic bereavement, how the child or young person experiences or understands the death – that is, the meaning they make of it – results in it being experienced as traumatic. It is vital that these children are identified and given the appropriate help and support.

This seminar aimed to help explain and identify traumatic bereavement, understand how it differs from 'normal' bereavement, and give education staff an introduction to how to support children and young people when experiencing a traumatic bereavement. 

Speakers included:

• David Trickey (Co-Director, UKTC; Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Anna Freud Centre)
• Beck Ferrari (Child Bereavement Specialist)
• Jaime Cronk (Specialist Outreach Teacher, Social, Emotional and Mental Health at Five Acre Wood School and across Maidstone district)

Download the presentation slides.

Schools in Mind: Building a whole school approach to anti-racism

This seminar, chaired by Director of the Schools Division Jaime Smith, gave attendees an understanding of the impact of racism on the mental health and wellbeing of school staff and students. 

It also explored  the ways in which schools and colleges can better support staff and students who may have experienced racism. The seminar forms part of a suite of free materials created by the Anna Freud Centre, Anti-racism and mental health in schools.

Alongside these materials, which include podcasts and downloadable resources, we have also launched free e-learning for school staff covering topics such as student voice, representation, and racial trauma.

Download the presentation slides.