Hi, I’m Sabina Bashir – The Brain Builder, a teacher, neuroplastician, author and founder of PromotingMentalHealthAndWellbeing.com. This global movement is aimed at improving the mental health of children worldwide. With nearly 30 years in education, witnessing first-hand the challenges faced by both parents and teachers, I created my children’s mental health journals and Build-a-B.R.A.I.N. Program to empower parents and teachers in supporting their children.

In today’s rapidly changing society, many parents find themselves at the end of their tether, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by their children’s behaviour. While they want the best for their children, they struggle to understand why everything seems to be so hard. Similarly, teachers are experiencing wellbeing issues with the same children, desperately seeking someone who can help them understand the situation and provide them some hope.

Despite my decades of experience working in schools, I have firsthand witnessed how the schooling system failed my youngest child and continues to fail many others. This is not due to a lack of effort on the part of teachers or students; on the contrary, interventions and teaching quality are now better than ever.

However, there is a lack of understanding that society has changed, and the real issues affecting children are simply not being adequately addressed.

Today, children are facing unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety, directly influenced by changes in adults’ behaviors around them. In many cases, schools are simply exacerbating the problem by focusing solely on academics and giving little consideration to children’s mental health.

Many in the educational system are still under the impression that children are struggling because of schooling lost during Covid and are trying to fix a problem that is actually old news. From my research and observations over the past decade, there are clear indicators showing that society has changed and these issues need to be considered.

Research shows that adults now have, on average, 6 serious relationships during their lifetime. They also move house and change jobs at least 5 times throughout their lives, leading to increased instability in children’s lives. Additionally, women now make up 41% of the workforce, with a third in senior management, bringing with it additional stresses to home life.

So why does this matter? It matters because children no longer enjoy the stability and nurturing family lives of past generations.

For many children, school is now the only constant in their lives, yet schools are not fully equipped or aware of the responsibility they now have to shoulder. They mistakenly continue to ‘improve’ a teaching system, focusing purely on academics that does not need changing, while mental health referrals for children continue to soar, leaving schools struggling to cope.

As a parent who struggled with her own child’s mental health issues due to my work schedule, I appreciate the difficulties parents are going through. But equally, being a teacher dealing with several children suffering from mental health issues in school at the same time, I fully appreciate the issues on the other side of the fence too. Therefore, I created programs and resources to support both parents and schools with their children.

The Build-a-B.R.A.I.N Program is a whole-school program run by teaching assistants outside of the classroom, during break times, lunch times and even after school when necessary. The reason for this is that most conflicts between children occur during these times, and support staff often find themselves struggling with children’s behaviours as they are often inadequately prepared. Children then return to the classroom, upset and disengaged unable to focus on their work.

The Build-a-B.R.A.I.N. program champions all children and is inclusive of neurodivergent children, such as those with ADHD and Autism, who may not do as well within the classroom setting.

The program includes training for teaching assistants, teachers and parents so that the strategies can be used at home as well as at school. The program recognises that to improve children’s mental health and wellbeing, we must also support the mental health and wellbeing of the adults delivering the program.

Along with the Build-a-B.R.A.I.N program, we have the 7-Day and 30-Day W.E.L.L.B.E.I.N.G Challenges. These challenges are run twice a year, at the beginning of the new school year and before the tests in May, to give children an extra boost.

In addition to these challenges, the children’s My Happy Healthy Journals and How to Unlock Happiness Guides are great tools proven to transform children’s mindsets and improve their resilience.

The programs have been meticulously created using Sabina’s 30 years of expertise working with children, along with her knowledge of psychology, neuroplasticity and brain science, to create programs that really work. These have been used with her own child and countless others, with dramatic results within a week.

So if you’re eager to significantly enhance the wellbeing of children in your school, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today!

Our vision is to improve Children’s Mental Health around the World through our programs and resources.

One of the unique aspects of the program is that children are educated about their brain and how they can control it, to control their own emotions better, also providing them with the necessary tools to regulate those emotions using safe wellbeing practices.

One of my favourite things to do is build links between home and school, ensuring a better understanding of children’s difficulties to support children’s mental health effectively. By implementing the strategies outlined in the Build-A-B.R.A.I.N. program, parents and teachers can work collaboratively to create a supportive community for children, addressing their needs holistically.

One of the unique aspects of the program is that it be used daily, this ensures results come quickly and shifts in attitude experienced within a week; transforming children’s habits rapidly.

By implementing the strategies outlined in the Build-A-BRAIN program, parents and teachers can work together to create a supportive environment for children, addressing their needs holistically.

 My ultimate vision is to assist children during difficult times and support parents and teachers who may be struggling with their own mental health issues too. By fostering a supportive foundation for all involved, the program aims to create stability for children globally, enabling them to develop greater resilience in the face of their ever-changing lives.