Gemma Arnold (PGCE Primary Education at Institute of Education, BSc Hons Psychology at The University of Birmingham) and Sophia Ziff (PGCE English Secondary at Canterbury Christ Church University, BA Hons Art History at The Courtauld Institute of Art)

Gemma and Sophia are Mental Health, Behaviour and Wellbeing specialists, with a combined 16 years of teaching experience across primary and secondary settings, having trained together on the Teach First Leadership Development Programme in 2013. They are also trained ‘Youth Mental Health First Aiders’ with Mental Health First Aid England and ‘Mental Health Champions’ with Place 2 Be.

As a teacher, Gemma has worked in multiple primary school settings and has completed further intensive training in mental health support and has worked within the SENDCo department in school. She is working towards her certificate in ‘Counselling for Children’ with Place2be to become a Child Psychotherapist and is currently a Year 4 Teacher. Sophia has worked as an English Literature and Language Secondary school teacher and has experience in pastoral management, leading Year 7 and 11 forms and Year 8 Year Group. Moreover, she has designed and delivers 1-1 Teen Mentoring Programmes, whole school wellbeing initiatives and Relationship Sex Health Education and Physical Social Health Education content in her current Mentoring and Student Wellbeing Coordinator capacity. Sophia will begin her ‘Senior Mental Health Lead’ Diploma at Leeds Beckett Uni next academic year.

Sophia and Gemma are both mums of toddlers and trained Youth Mental Health First Aiders and can totally relate firsthand to the many trials and tribulations parents face! In response to multiple pandemic lockdowns, they developed ‘ToddlersTeensAndBetween’ to support parents with the wellbeing, behaviour and mental health of their toddlers, teens and between. They offer Bespoke Support and have just released their first online course for parents of babies, toddlers and early years children aged 0-6: ‘The Younger Years Course’