Dra. Pooky Knightsmith, PhD

An internationally respected face of child and adolescent mental health and additional needs, Pooky works tirelessly to ‘be the change she wants to see’. A prolific keynote speaker, lecturer, trainer and author, she develops and shares practical, evidence-informed approaches to promoting mental health and inclusion – arming health, social care and education staff with the skills, understanding and knowledge they need to support the children in their care.

Pooky has a PhD in child mental health from the Institute of Psychiatry, is the author of many books and is the former chair of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition. She lives in Sussex with her two daughters, husband, mother-in-law and three dogs. She’s a keen climber an amateur paraglider and a voracious bookworm. She lives well with PTSD, autism and anxiety and ARFID has a history of anorexia.