Speakers

Professor Prathiba Chitsabesan is the National Clinical Director for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Chair of the Clinical Reference Group (NHS England) and has been involved in a number of regional and national transformation programmes including cross-government.

Prathiba is a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry working in a large mental health and learning disability trust (Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust). She has previously had operational roles including Trust Clinical Director before becoming the Associate National Clinical Director for Children and Young People’s Mental Health (NHS England) in 2017.

She has an interest in the mental health and neurodevelopmental needs of children and young people in contact with the criminal justice system, working across systems. Over the last 20 years she has published in peer reviewed journals and books and contributed to national reports and guidance for NHS England, Youth Justice Board and Office of the Children’s Commissioner. She was involved in developing the mental health response following the Manchester Arena Attack (2017) and contributing to the national framework for psychosocial and mental health care following incidents and emergencies (Emergency Preparedness Resilience Response, EPRR).

She continues to be research active as a Visiting Chair (University College London and Manchester Metropolitan University).