On April 9th, 2025, Ms Meghna Joshi attended a day-long conference organised by Childrenplus, a promising and fast-growing initiative in the field of mental health. Held in the elegant Tamarind Hall of India Habitat Centre, the event brought together school principals, counsellors, special educators, and private practitioners for a thoughtful and much-needed dialogue on mental health in the school setting.
The day began with a warm welcome and keynote address by Mr Vishal Sharma, CEO and Co-founder of Childrenplus. This was followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and an inaugural speech by Chief Guest, Mr Anandrao Vishnu Patil, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education. His address highlighted the growing recognition of mental health as a foundational pillar within the educational landscape.
The first session was led by Mr Amritash Rai, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist based in Australia and also Co-founder of Childrenplus. He spoke on “Exploring the Role of AI and Technology in School Counselling”. His presentation walked the audience through the evolving ways AI is being integrated into counselling practice—particularly in documentation, session transcriptions, and streamlining post-session processes. While he acknowledged the limitations and subjectivity of applying AI in varied school contexts, his larger message was clear: AI should enhance, not replace, the deeply human nature of counselling work.
Following this, Ms. Nooraa Sinha, former Head of Counselling at Shiv Nadar School, facilitated a powerful session on “Self-Care for School Counsellors”. Drawing from both professional and personal insights, she unpacked the structural challenges that lead to burnout—ranging from role diffusion and lack of clarity to emotional overextension. She also spoke openly about the generational shifts within the profession, the need for supervision, and the quiet power of maintaining boundaries. The session was a gentle reminder that taking care of oneself is not a luxury, but a professional necessity.
Post-lunch, the first panel discussion addressed “School Avoidance and Academic Anxiety”. Moderated by Mr. Vishal Sharma, the panel brought together school heads, therapists, and parents to collectively explore how absenteeism and academic stress often get buried beneath logistical concerns like grades and attendance. The conversation emphasized emotional attunement—not just in counselling rooms, but across classrooms and staffrooms. The goal was clear: to create spaces where students feel seen, not judged; supported, not monitored.
Next came an enriching panel on “Inclusive Schooling: Policy and Practice”, moderated by Ms. Harleen Ahluwalia, Head of SEN at Shiv Nadar School. School leaders shared real-life examples of how inclusive practices have evolved—from inviting neurodiverse students to take the mic at school events, to appointing them as inclusion representatives. It was heartening to see how small shifts in school culture can go a long way in challenging longstanding silos between “mainstream” and “special” education.
The third panel took up the critical issue of “Substance Abuse Prevention in Schools”. Moderated by Mr. Amritash Rai and joined by Dr. Swati Kedia Gupta (AIIMS) and Ms. Reshma Bhown (Heritage Xperiential), the session explored how early exposure—often beginning at home—can shape a child’s coping mechanisms. The absence of structured school policies around substance abuse was a central concern, with the panel advocating for frameworks that are both preventative and responsive, rather than punitive.
The final panel of the day focused on “Addressing Digital Stress”, a topic increasingly relevant to both students and educators. With insights from IPS officer Mr. Dinendra Kashyap, journalist Mr. Pankaj Chandra, and academic Dr. Shruti Sharma, the panel examined the neurological, emotional, and social implications of digital dependency. A particularly thoughtful thread was the generational lens—reminding us that every era has its scapegoat, whether it was rock music, comic books, or smartphones. The key, the panel suggested, lies in nurturing children’s capacity to pause, reflect, and delay gratification—skills that are as emotional as they are cognitive.
The conference offered a rare and much-needed confluence of diverse voices committed to student wellbeing—educators, counsellors, administrators, and mental health professionals all working in tandem. It underscored the urgent need for more integrated, emotionally aware practices in schools and affirmed that sustainable change in student mental health is only possible through shared responsibility, open dialogue, and a willingness to evolve together.
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