HOLD · Expert session
The Neurodivergence Expert Session
One hour with Chris Benson on neurodivergence and mental health: practical do's and don'ts from his experience as a headteacher of 15 years - and as a parent.
What it is
The expert session is a one-hour deep dive inside HOLD, the Youth Mental Health Response tier for teachers and pastoral staff. It is led by Chris Benson, Neurodivergence and Education Specialist, who joins Let's Be Real as a freelance trainer.
The session builds on the neurodivergence content already in HOLD. Where the training teaches the framework, Chris brings lived experience from every seat at the table - as a pupil, a teacher, a serving headteacher and the parent of an autistic son and a daughter with ADHD.
What the session covers
How neurodivergence and mental health interact
Why neurodivergent students can be more vulnerable to mental health difficulties - and why the signs are easy to misread.
Do's that work in real classrooms
What Chris has seen help: clarity, predictability, processing time and conversations that don't put a young person on the spot.
Don'ts that quietly do harm
Common missteps - from forcing eye contact to reading a masking student as "fine" - and what to do instead.
Adapting the conversation to the student
How to flex the supportive conversations taught in HOLD to suit each neurodivergent student's needs.
What it costs
Included in HOLD - at no extra cost.
There is no separate fee and nothing to book on its own. The session is part of the HOLD tier, so schools running the training have it built into their programme. If your school is considering HOLD, use the enquiry form below and we will help you plan the session in.
Your session lead
Chris Benson
Neurodivergence and Education Specialist
Education Lead at ADHD UK, a headteacher of 15 years in the UK and internationally, and the first serving UK headteacher to disclose having ADHD on a national scale. He works with schools and families through HeadFirst Consulting.
Read Chris's full profileEnquire about the expert session
Tell us about your school and where you are with HOLD - we will help you plan the session into your programme.