The Avon Maitland District School Board and Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board recently hosted a third annual symposium on student mental health.
The two school board's mental health leads, Heather Hirdes and Kaitie Westbrook, put together a two part initiative based on strengthening mental health support for kids across Huron and Perth.
The event was done in honour of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
This year’s theme, “Understanding and Responding to Student Mental Health Needs”, was led by Dr. Jennifer McTaggart, a child psychologist and a leading expert in acute children’s mental health.
School based service providers in the area were part of the event. Also, Dr. McTaggart shared her expertise with caregivers who were invited to a “Parenting With Confidence” session. This involved parents and guardians learning "communication strategies, ideas for supportive home environments, and practical tools to navigate parenting challenges with greater confidence and calm," according to a press release.
