Programme - Wednesday 11 March
Conference: Mental Health and Wellbeing - registration is now closed
Wednesday 11 March 2026 - In-Person and Virtual
Conference - Mental Health and Wellbeing
All speakers are attending and presenting in-person
| 08.15-09.10 | Trainees' Network Meeting A chance to meet and network with fellow trainees from across the country. Open to all paediatric trainees with an interest in childhood disability. |
| 08.30-09.15 | Registration, Refreshments, Exhibition |
| 09.20 | Welcome and Housekeeping |
| 09.25 | Healthy Parent Carers: peer-led group-based health promotion programme to improve health and wellbeing parent carers of disabled children Prof Chris Morris, Professor of Child Health Research, University of Exeter |
| 09.45 | “I am the only man in the room." The psycho-social experiences of fathers caring for children diagnosed as autistic Dr Louise Cooper, Lead Children’s Learning Disability Nurse, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust |
| 10.05 | Parent Carer Trauma: Insights for Transforming Practice Rachel Wright, parent and Founder of Born at the Right Time |
| 10.25 | Panel Q&A |
| 10.40 | Refreshments, Posters, Exhibition |
| 11.20 | BACD Strategic Research Group Update |
| 11.35 | Oral Presentations Altered GABAergic inhibitory function in co-occurring epilepsy and autism Dr Chirag Mehra, ST5 Neurodisability Baby Ubuntu from pilot towards scale: Early care and support for young children with developmental disabilities and their caregivers Dr Jaya Chandna, Research Fellow Prevalence of knee fixed flexion contractures in children with cerebral palsy in England and Wales Dr Rachel Rapson, Consultant Physiotherapist Screening for poverty in community paediatric clinics Dr Miriam Sanderson, ST6 Community Child Health |
| 12.10 | Paul Polani Lecture: The impact of language disorders on mental health and wellbeing Prof Courtenay Norbury, Professor of Developmental Language & Communication Disorders, University College London |
| 12.55 | Lunch and Networking, Posters Exhibition BACD Annual General Meeting |
| 14.00 | Prevalence of mental health conditions in adults with CP Dr Jennifer Ryan, Senior Lecturer, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Director, Cerebral Palsy Lifespan Health and Well-being (CP-Life) Research Centre |
| 14.20 | Integrating Psychological Care into Acute Paediatrics: Promoting wellbeing beyond the bedside for hospitalised children and young people Dr Isabel Paz, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
| 14.40 | Not Overdiagnosed, Overexposed: Addressing health inequalities to improve mental health and wellbeing Dr Guddi Singh, Consultant in Neurodevelopmental & Social Paediatrics, Broadcaster, and Founder of the Wellbeing and Health Action Movement (WHAM) |
| 15.00 | Panel Q&A |
| 15.15 | Refreshments |
| 15.30 | Mental health of children with complex neurodisabilities: the importance of meaningful activity and participation Annemarie Sims, Occupational Therapist, Evelina Children's Hospital; and Dr Ashley Liew, Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychiatrist, Evelina Children's Hospital |
| 15.55 | The Lucy Project – drop in service for CYP with mild to moderate psychological difficulties Dr Steve Jones, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Sheffield Children’s Hospital; and Sophie Bennett, Reader in Clinical Psychology, Kings College London |
| 16.15 | Panel Q&A |
| 16.25 | Mac Keith Press Prizes awarded |
| 16.30 | End of Day |
Conference talks
We would like to acknowledge and thank EnrichMyCare which has kindly sponsored this event. They have not been involved in the organisation or educational content for this event.
