Recognising that emotional and psychological well-being is fundamental to a child’s academic and personal success, Mount Carmel School, Chandigarh, organised a CBSE Capacity Building Workshop on “Understanding Mental Health, Distress, Its Impact and Management”. The highly sensitive session was conducted by the CACA (Children Against Child Abuse) for the school’s teaching and administrative staff. The workshop was facilitated by Sarah Sobeh, a leading expert from the CACA, who sensitised educators to the early and often subtle signs of emotional distress and academic withdrawal among young learners. The session explored the profound cognitive and social impact of psychological distress on children and provided teachers with practical, empathetic classroom intervention strategies to handle sensitive disclosures while maintaining a safe and supportive environment. The afternoon session commenced with an invocation and a reflective reading from the Book of Philippians, focusing on mental peace and empathy. The school management warmly welcomed Sobeh and honoured her advocacy work by presenting her with a welcome folder and a sapling. Speaking on the occasion, Principal Dr Parveena John Singh emphasised that schools play a pivotal role in fostering not only academic excellence but also the emotional resilience and mental well-being of children. She stated that teachers must be equipped to identify and respond to students’ emotional needs with empathy, sensitivity and care, thereby creating a nurturing and psychologically safe learning environment.
