Mind Matters

02/02/2026

This year, Children's Mental Health Week 2026 will take place from 9-15 February 2026! The theme for Children's Mental Health Week 2026 is 'This is My Place', and the aim is to support the systems around children and young people to help them feel they belong.

You can access supporting resources here https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/

Place2Be's official Children's Mental Health Week exists to empower, equip and give a voice to all children and young people in the UK.

02/02/2026

Fully funded mental health and neurodiversity training for Barnsley SMEs

Mind Matters is delighted to be working in partnership with Barnsley Council, to deliver fully funded training for managers and employees in mental health, neurodiversity, and wellbeing, free of charge to based in , South Yorkshire.

Mental Health Training:
The i-act programme is one of the UK’s leading evidence-based and accredited mental health and wellbeing programmes for understanding and managing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

I-ACT thought about the different training needs of different workplace roles and developed complimentary courses for both managers and for employees/front-line workers:

i-act Course for Managers (online and in-person options available)
i-act Course for Employees/Front-line Workers (online and in-person options available)

Neurodiversity training:
Mind Matters will be delivering the following neurodiversity training, designed to increase your understanding of neurodivergence and help you learn how to support neurodivergent individuals and unlock their potential:

Thrive Neurodiversity in the workplace aware webinar – 1.5 hour webinar

Thrive Neurodiversity in the Workplace for Managers Workshop

If you would like to access places for your business, further details can be found here https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/business-information/health-and-safety-at-work/be-well-work-employee-health-and-wellbeing/

01/02/2026

Safeguarding leads are the unsung guardians of our schools. Every day, they carry the immense responsibility of protecting children from harm, listening to disclosures that can be deeply distressing, and making critical decisions under pressure. Their role is vital — but it is also emotionally demanding, isolating, and often overlooked when it comes to wellbeing.

The Hidden Weight of Safeguarding

• Emotional toll: Safeguarding leads are exposed to some of the most challenging aspects of school life — neglect, abuse, and trauma. Without proper support, this can lead to compassion fatigue and burnout.
• Constant vigilance: They must remain alert and responsive at all times, which can create a heightened state of stress and anxiety.
• Isolation in responsibility: While safeguarding is everyone’s duty, the lead often feels the burden of accountability rests squarely on their shoulders.

Why Wellbeing Support Matters

• Sustaining effectiveness: A safeguarding lead who is supported emotionally and mentally is better equipped to make sound judgments and act decisively.
• Role modelling: When leaders prioritise wellbeing, it sets a powerful example for staff and students alike.
• Retention and resilience: Supporting safeguarding leads reduces turnover, builds resilience, and ensures continuity in this critical role.

The Call to Action for School Leaders

Investing in the wellbeing of safeguarding leads is not a luxury — it is a necessity. By providing structured wellbeing support, schools can:

• Protect the protectors, ensuring they remain strong for the children who rely on them.
• Create a culture where safeguarding is sustainable, not overwhelming.
• Strengthen the whole school community by recognising that caring for staff is inseparable from caring for pupils.

Our workshop is designed specifically for school leaders who want to prioritise the wellbeing of safeguarding leads. Together, we will explore practical strategies, share best practice, and build a framework of support that empowers safeguarding leads to thrive in their role — not just survive it.

Because safeguarding is about protecting children, but it starts with protecting the adults who carry that responsibility.

Contact us to book your workshop https://mindmatterstraining.co.uk/get-in-touch/

01/02/2026

Mind Matters to exhibit at the 2025 Health & Wellbeing at Work Conference https://mindmatterstraining.co.uk/mind-matters-to-exhibit-at-the-health-wellbeing-at-work-conference-2025/

Mind Matters will be exhibiting at the Health & Wellbeing at Work Conference at the Birmingham NEC on 10–11 March 2025, showcasing its leading-edge training and consultancy across mental health, neurodiversity, su***de prevention, and workplace wellbeing. As one of the UK’s most established prov...

01/02/2026

🌟 Thrive: Neurodiversity in the Workplace Aware Webinar

Are you ready to shift the narrative from deficit to strength?

Join us for our Thrive: Neurodiversity in the Workplace Aware, a transformative webinar designed to raise awareness, equip professionals, leaders, and changemakers with the insight and empathy, to foster truly inclusive workplaces.

🧠 What to Expect
• Understand neurodiversity through a strengths-based lens
• Explore the lived experiences of Autistic and neurodivergent individuals
• Learn how to create psychologically safe, inclusive environments

🎯 Who Should Attend
HR professionals, line managers, MHFAiders, DSLs, DEI leads, and anyone committed to building neuroinclusive cultures.

💬 “This webinar doesn’t just raise awareness—it sparks transformation.”
Led by Jane McNeice, Autistic advocate, author, and Founder of Mind Matters, this session blends lived experience, professional insight, and creative warmth to challenge assumptions and inspire action.

📅 Upcoming Dates: https://mindmatterstraining.co.uk/course_category/thrive-neurodiversity-training/

Let’s Thrive!

01/02/2026

Those who believe Autism and ADHD are over used labels often don’t appreciate that we had already been labelled a thousand times over before them. Autism and ADHD are corrections to the damage, they tell a truth each of us needed to know “We were never broken”.

Credit: Caroline Goldsmith

31/01/2026

Time to Talk Day is the UK’s biggest mental health conversation — a national moment to pause, connect, and make talking about mental health completely ordinary.

It brings together friends, families, workplaces, and communities to spark the kinds of conversations that change culture, not just days.

At Mind Matters, we champion this movement because conversation is one of the most powerful tools we have for creating su***de‑safer, stigma‑free spaces.

Why does talking matter?

Talking openly:

- Breaks stigma and challenges silence
- Builds trust and connection
- Encourages people to seek support earlier
- Creates cultures where wellbeing is everyone’s business

A single conversation won’t fix everything, but it can open a door — and at Mind Matters, we see every day how those doors lead to hope, safety, and change.

30/01/2026

Why become a Mental Health First Aider with Mind Matters?

Becoming a Mental Health First Aider is a practical way to create a safer, more compassionate workplace. Mind Matters offers evidence‑based training grounded in real lived experience, giving people the confidence to spot early signs of distress, start supportive conversations, and signpost safely.
MHFAiders help build cultures where people feel seen, heard, and able to ask for help. They gain skills that reduce stigma, strengthen inclusion, and contribute to su***de‑safer communities. Mind Matters’ neurodiversity‑affirming approach ensures support is respectful, strengths‑based, and genuinely inclusive.

For organisations, MHFAiders boost wellbeing, reduce absence, and demonstrate a clear commitment to staff care. For individuals, the training is transformative, practical, and deeply human.

Find our latest Mental Health First Aid training dates here https://mindmatterstraining.co.uk/course_category/mental-health-first-aid/

29/01/2026

I love training Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders®) and being a member of the Association of MHFAiders!

I am proud to be part of a growing community that is redefining mental health in the workplace.

Mental Health First Aid Training is accompanied by a community of fellow Instructor Members and MHFAiders®, supported through the dedicated MHFAider Support App®.

With the app, you can access ongoing support, resources, and any information you need, all included in the course.

Be part of the inclusive community and change your workplace for the better today.

Please contact us for further details about the course https://mindmatterstraining.co.uk/get-in-touch/

I love training Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders®). Why I hear you ask? I am proud to be part of a growing community that is redefining mental health in the workplace! Mental Health First Aid Training is accompanied by a community of fellow Instructor Members and MHFAiders®, supported through...