Thrive Courses

Keynote details to follow

Keynote speaker: Dr Jack Lewis
Jack is a neuroscientist, television personality and author. He received his doctorate in neuroscience in 2005 and his post-doctoral research was published in 2010 in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience.

Jack has presented and consulted on numerous television series, sharing the very latest insights into how our brains work with audiences around the world.

Armed with a constantly updated knowledge of cutting-edge developments in neuroscience, he translates academic research into practical advice on how to improve brain function. Audiences can use this to improve their own abilities and also to help others.

During the conference, you will have the opportunity to:

• refresh your understanding of core Thrive principles
• find out how to create environments that support resilience
• update your knowledge of recent developments in neuroscience
• discover new applications for the Thrive Approach

Workshops
Delegates will be able to attend two workshops on the day.

It’s all about Relationships
Exploring how to adapt your relationship to support children at Being, Doing and Thinking

Would you like to strengthen your relationship with the children and young people you support? Do you want to know more about how to shift how you relate to children at Being, Doing and Thinking? Are you interested in developing your skills in facilitating creative arts activities? As Thrive practitioners we use activities as a vehicle through which to support a child’s needs. Making these activities effective for a child requires thought, planning and skill. In this workshop, you will learn how to adapt your relational stance to suit the needs of individual children in order to get the most out of Thrive activities.

In this workshop, we will revisit the relational stance at Being, Doing and Thinking and you will have the opportunity to observe a licensed practitioner delivering a Thrive session using a sand tray with a child at each these developmental strands. You will then be able to explore how the activity has been adapted to meet the developmental needs of each child and have a chance to refine and enhance your own skills in this area. Finally, you will use what you’ve learnt to plan a creative arts activity to support a child at each of these developmental strands.

You will come away from the workshop with:
• a deeper insight into the relational stance at Being, Doing and Thinking
• practical experience of observing and reflecting on Thrive in action
• ways of supporting children with different interruptions using the same creative materials.

Being Sleep Wise
How sleep affects the lives of children and young people and what to do to improve it

Have you read recent news headlines about the links between poor sleep and ill health? Ever wondered how much lack of sleep contributes to poor behaviour in your setting? Would you like to improve your sleep and the sleep of the children and young people you support? Do you want to feel more confident in recognising and managing sleep difficulties? Sleep is as essential for health as good food, clean air and water. Improving your sleep and the sleep of the children in your care will not only improve everyone’s health, but also increase the impact of Thrive interventions.

In this workshop, a sleep expert from Hunrosa – an NHS-backed training provider – will explain the importance of sleep for mental and physical health and development. You will learn about why we lose sleep and the impact of sleeplessness on children and young people. Finally, you will find out about the lifestyle and behavioural changes needed to improve sleep and discover some of the latest research on the subject.

You will come away from the workshop with:
• a deeper knowledge of sleep and its effects on the brain and body
• a recognition of what constitutes sufficient sleep and how sleep requirements change with age
• an awareness of the factors that affect sleep, including disability, mental health difficulties and trauma
• a variety of ways to support children and young people in your setting.

Mindfulness for beginners
Exploring simple techniques to create calm for yourself, your colleagues and the children you work with

Do you sometimes feel exhausted and overwhelmed? Would you like to enhance your ability to stay calm amidst the busyness of school life? Are you looking for ways to equip children with the tools they need to cope with stress? The capacity to stay calm and regulated is a vital skill – not only for children and young people, but also for Thrive practitioners who are often dealing with frequent emotionally charged situations on top of heavy workloads and intense time pressures. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn more about how mindfulness can support you with the challenges that you face. First, you will explore the benefits of mindfulness, looking at how it impacts on the brain and body, mood and behaviour. Next, you will have the opportunity to practise a simple breathing exercise that will help you in both your work and your home life. You will then have the opportunity to discuss creative ways of introducing mindfulness into your setting to support everyone in the school community.

You will come away from the workshop with:
• a deeper understanding of the science behind mindfulness
• an appreciation of how you can use the power of mindfulness to enhance your own life and the lives of others
• a tried-and-tested technique to support your present-moment focus
• practical suggestions for using mindfulness with children and young people

These conferences are tailored for Licensed Practitioners and Trainers and will carry 10 CPD points.

Tickets are £150 and include refreshments and a buffet lunch.

Please contact Thrive for more information on 01392 797555 option 1