Successful Annual Symposium Addresses Child Health at the Mohn Centre

Panel members during the symposium

The Mohn Centre hosts the NIHR SPHR Children, Young People and Families annual symposium in November.

On 22 November 2023, the Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Wellbeing hosted the "Children, Young People and Families Annual Symposium." The event, organised by colleagues at the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (SPHR) and the Mohn Centre, brought together leading experts, researchers, and professionals across England dedicated to improving child health.

The symposium kicked off with a warm welcome from Professor Peter Kraftl, Dr Dougal Hargreaves and Professor Ashley Adamson, the Director of the School for Public Health Research, who set the tone for the day highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing child health.

The symposium provided an opportunity to meet colleagues from across the Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) theme of the NIHR SPHR, including new faces in research featuring presentations from Mohn Centre transdisciplinary placement Natalie Barton, PhD students Irena Tetkovic and Lauren Cross, University of Cambridge, and launching fellow Dr Oluwaseun Esan, LiLaC.

Keynote speaker, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and lead for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities at the Department of Health and Social Care, shared her insights on the leading trends taking place in child health including themes of health inequalities, mental health and the rise in vaping.

The day's proceedings culminated in a comprehensive session on "Children and Young People’s Health: Trends, Successes, and Challenges," chaired by Professor Ashley Adamson. Keynote speaker, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and lead for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities at the Department of Health and Social Care, shared her insights on the leading trends taking place in child health including themes of health inequalities, mental health and the rise in vaping.

The panel, comprising Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, Professor Russell Viner, Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department of Education and Professor of Child and Adolescent Health at UCL, Liann Brookes-Smith, Interim Director of Public Health at Sandwell Council, Juliette Cammaerts, Director of Policy, Planning, and Delivery at the Children’s Commissioner’s Office, and Neil Meemaduma, Head of Research and Evidence at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, engaged in a dynamic discussion on current trends, successes, and challenges in children and young people's health.

Professor Peter Kraftl, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Birmingham; and Programme Lead, Children, Young People and Families Programme (NIHR SPHR), said;

“The Children, Young People and Families Programme Symposium brought together researchers, practitioners and policy-makers from across the country. , and for researchers to engage in detailed discussions with other key stakeholders to discuss future priorities for applied health research about children, young people and families.”

The symposium's success lies not only in the valuable insights shared but also in the collaborative spirit that permeated the event. Researchers, professionals, and advocates left with a renewed commitment to advancing child health, armed with fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and strengthened networks for future collaboration.