Today we were incredibly lucky to have Dick Moore visit the school to talk to staff and parents about child mental health. Dick is an ex-Head Teacher with decades of experience in education and an inspirational speaker. After a personal tragedy in his family he became passionate about raising the awareness of mental health in children and now spends his time giving talks to staff and parents. He is supported by The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. Its vision is a world where people understand and talk openly about depression, where young people know how to maintain their emotional well-being, and where the most appropriate treatment is available to everyone who needs it. The Trust was set up in 1997 in memory of Charlie Waller, a young man who took his own life whilst suffering from depression. Shortly after his death, his family founded the Trust in order to educate young people on the importance of staying mentally well. https://www.cwmt.org.uk/
Dick firstly spoke to the staff. He had them spellbound from his first sentence and everyone engaged with what he was talking about. One colleague said afterwards “I could have done with another two and a half hours of that” – not a normal response to INSET! There were also a few tears and a lot of laughter. When talking to the parents and our invited guests the focus was slightly different, concentrating more on parental pressure and expectations. Dick gave some excellent pointers to look out for. Once again he held his audience spellbound. Very many thanks to Dick for coming to Lockers Park – you certainly gave us food for thought. https://www.dickmoore.org/
Talk on Mental Well-Being in Children by Dick Moore
