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FREE THRIVE IN ACTION
The Neuroscience of Feeling ‘At Home’: Why mattering supports belonging and wellbeing
We’re connecting online between 12:00-12:45 GMT on 11th February. Can't join live? Sign up anyway, and we'll send you the recording after the webinar.
What is the webinar about?
Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 is here, and this year’s theme, This Is My Place, invites us to notice the moments that help children feel emotionally “at home” in school. Research shows that one of the strongest drivers of this feeling is mattering - the sense of being noticed, valued and significant. When children feel they matter, their brains are more able to regulate, connect and engage with learning.
But what does mattering look like in everyday practice? And how does it support a deeper sense of belonging and wellbeing?
Join Thrive’s Viv Trask-Hall and Laura Nicholson alongside Victoria White, Trust Leader Quality of Education, at The Consortium Academy Trust, as they explore how emotional safety, mattering and relational practice work together to help children feel settled and secure. We’ll unpack the science behind these ideas and link it directly to what educators see in real classrooms.
You’ll leave with clear insights, practical reassurance and renewed confidence to support children’s mental health during Children’s Mental Health Week - and in the everyday moments that follow.
Meet the speakers
Laura Nicholson
Practice & Innovation Developer, Thrive
Laura develops training and resources at Thrive, supporting children’s social and emotional development across education. A Thrive trainer and former primary teacher, she has 13 years’ experience working closely with autistic children and supporting inclusive, empathetic classrooms. As a parent of an autistic child, she combines professional insight with lived experience to support the wellbeing of all pupils.
Viv Trask-Hall B.Ed(Hons), DFIFIP, NPQH
Head of Theory and Practice, Thrive
Viv began her Thrive journey as a Headteacher in Barnsley's primary schools, transitioning from a Licensed Practitioner to a Thrive Trainer. She witnessed the approach's positive impact on behaviour, attendance, and wellbeing, which ignited her passion. Now, Viv focuses on developing high-quality, evidence-based training for Thrive, with the goal of positively impacting as many children and young people as possible.
Victoria White
Deputy Head for Quality of Education, The Consortium Academy Trust
Victoria FCCT is a Deputy Head for Quality of Education across the Consortium Academy Trust, providing strategic leadership from early years to post 16. As a Thrive practitioner for both Childhood and Adolescent learners, she has supported the implementation of the Thrive Approach across ten schools, embedding relational and trauma informed practice.
