Mental Health in Schools Scotland Conference 

Nick is the chief executive of Change Mental Health, a national mental health charity supporting 8000 people a year across Scotland. He is on the board of Mental Health UK, LGBT Health and Wellbeing and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland’s advisory board. Nick’s background began in education as a teacher working in disadvantaged schools in South and East London before becoming the North London Director for Teach First, responsible for the training and development of over 300 teachers a year. He was also elected a local authority Councillor, representing the area of Tufnell Park in Islington. After his return to Scotland he founded the Education Fellowship Scotland providing high quality professional development to teachers before becoming the Director of the National Autistic Society of Scotland. Nick is a keen runner, history nerd, tech dweeb, proud uncle and lives in Edinburgh.

Nick is the chief executive of Change Mental Health, a national mental health charity supporting 8000 people a year across Scotland. He is on the board of Mental Health UK, LGBT Health and Wellbeing and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland’s advisory board. Nick’s background began in education as a teacher working in disadvantaged schools in South and East London before becoming the North London Director for Teach First, responsible for the training and development of over 300 teachers a year. He was also elected a local authority Councillor, representing the area of Tufnell Park in Islington. After his return to Scotland he founded the Education Fellowship Scotland providing high quality professional development to teachers before becoming the Director of the National Autistic Society of Scotland. Nick is a keen runner, history nerd, tech dweeb, proud uncle and lives in Edinburgh.

Tony was first elected to East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) in 2007 and represents Neilston and Newton Mearns North.

He has been part of the administration of ERC since election in 2007 and was Leader of East Renfrewshire Council for the term 2017 – 2022. ERC has an exemplary record for several services. Tony has been a member of the Education committee, an area in which the Council is sector leading.

He has been a member of COSLA Convention since 2007 and COSLA Leaders Group since 2017, and was appointed as COSLA’s Spokesperson for Children and Young People in June 2022

Dr Deborah Holt was a headteacher for 9 years in a school rated outstanding for its pastoral care. It was this school experience that prompted her interest and further study in mental health promotion. She has been working at the University of Edinburgh since 2010, where her teaching specialism is in positive mental health promotion and health and wellbeing. She developed and now leads an undergraduate course designed to help students understand how to be more healthy more often within and beyond the educational context. Deborah’s research is in the area of mental health promotion in education which also includes interest in the social, emotional and academic inclusion of children from refugee families. She is currently Director of Students in the school of education, a role that aligns well with her expertise in embedding mental health promotion in education.

Helen is a former pupil of Dunoon Grammar School. She studied Mathematics at Oxford University before working in academic publishing for a number of years. She returned to Scotland to train as a teacher and has been at Dunoon Grammar School since 2002. She was a Principal Teacher of Guidance for 17 years before becoming a Depute Head Teacher with the remit of Support.

Hi, my name is Yvonne Hutchison, I have been working as an Educational Psychologist for over 12 years now. I currently work for East Renfrewshire Council and prior to that for North Ayrshire Council. I have always had a focus within my role in working alongside school staff to support care experienced and vulnerable children and young people who have experienced trauma and adversity, which we know significantly impacts health and wellbeing. My work is heavily influenced by the work of Dan Hughes, Bruce Perry, Louise Bomber and many others in the field. I am aware of the increasing challenge within education in supporting the inclusion of learners within mainstream schools and recognize the importance of understanding the needs of learners of have experienced trauma and adversity and in supporting school staff to consider approaches that can best meet their needs. 

Originally from the Highlands but now living on the West Coast of Scotland with my wife and dogs.  I joined LGBT Youth Scotland in February 2022.  My role as Senior Manager of Capacity Building and Education is a story of two halves: the LGBT Charter and training offerings and Educational Policy and Partnerships.  The Education Team and I develop the LGBT Charter for Education to ensure it is aligned with Curriculum for Excellence and How Good Is Our School frameworks, whilst supporting schools, colleges and universities with their LGBT Charter journeys.  I also work alongside education partners such as Education Scotland and GTCS in various working groups, Local Authority Education Central Teams to deliver training to Head Teachers and Senior Leadership teams and Universities to develop Initial Teacher Education.  Prior to LGBTYS I was a Primary School Head Teacher and Senior Leader for 10 years with a real passion and focus on intersectional education.

Dr Clare Roberts a HCPC registered Consultant Clinical Psychologist with two roles: working as a clinician in the South Glasgow Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), and also for an NHS for Education (NES) funded project called Training in Psychological Skills (TIPS). These roles are both for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Clare is passionate about promoting the best mental health for all children and young people. She hopes to take this forward both through direct work with children, young people, families and carers, and also thinking about how all adults can be what we think of as ‘one good adult’.

Clare is also keen to support staff welfare and wellbeing so that we can be in the best position to do our jobs well, many are also parents/carers and Clare hopes that we can hold strengths-based values at home as well as at work.

Helen is a former pupil of Dunoon Grammar School. She studied Mathematics at Oxford University before working in academic publishing for a number of years. She returned to Scotland to train as a teacher and has been at Dunoon Grammar School since 2002. She was a Principal Teacher of Guidance for 17 years before becoming a Depute Head Teacher with the remit of Support.

Stuart is from Paisley and was the first in his family to go to University.  He was a Principal Teacher of Guidance and Depute Head Teacher at Dunoon Grammar School before becoming Head Teacher at Port Glasgow High School, a position he held for four years.  He is now Head Teacher of Mearns Castle High School in East Renfrewshire, which is one of Scotland’s highest attaining secondary schools.  Stuart has placed wellbeing at the centre of his school’s new mission of ‘Be Your Best’ and the establishment of The Hub has been a significant success within this work.

An Associate Assessor for school inspection with Education Scotland and a member of the BOCSH group of Head Teachers, Stuart enjoys ‘looking outwards’ to learn from excellent practice across the country.

Danny is the Founder of Be-inn Unity, a social enterprise that exists to inspire and educate communities so that individuals are empowered to thrive. Danny and the team work closely with communities ranging from primary and high schools, local authorities, and national businesses, delivering a variety of initiatives that are informed by attachment theory, to build emotionally safe cultures that offer relationships founded in love, kindness and compassion. Danny is passionate about removing the stigma associated with mental health and suicide prevention, driven from his own personal experiences.