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A Lincolnshire education professional with more than 20 years of teaching experience has launched a specialist coaching service aimed at helping children develop stronger confidence, emotional resilience and a healthier mindset.
Rose Dray recently established Grow Minds Coaching after qualifying as a children’s confidence and mindset coach. Her decision followed years of observing the growing emotional and wellbeing needs of young people both inside and outside the classroom.
The service will begin supporting children ahead of September through a combination of school-based coaching, home support and personalised one-to-one sessions.
Dray’s background as a teacher, together with her experiences as the mother of autistic twins, has provided her with a broad understanding of the challenges facing many children and their families.
She believes coaching offers an additional layer of support that can complement school-based provision by focusing on individual emotional and personal development needs.
“After more than 20 years in teaching, I felt there was a growing need for this type of support,” she said. “Schools are working incredibly hard, but there are increasing pressures on staff and limited time available to give children the individual attention they sometimes need.
“Coaching allows me to focus on the child as a whole person and create the space for conversations that can help build confidence and resilience over time.”
Grow Minds Coaching adopts a collaborative model that encourages involvement from schools, parents and children.
Dray says that spending time in educational settings often helps uncover important factors affecting confidence, wellbeing and personal development.
“The idea is to work within schools with children who are struggling, while also supporting families through one-to-one sessions,” she said. “When I work with children in school, I can build relationships with teachers and staff who know them well. It helps create a fuller picture of what is happening and often leads to more open and productive conversations.”
Beyond coaching, Dray has also become an author specialising in children’s emotional wellbeing and mindset-related topics.
Over the last year she has released three books: Behind The Brave Face, Holding Big Feelings and Big Changes, Brave Steps.
The books provide guidance on resilience, emotional awareness, confidence and adapting to change, offering practical support for families.
According to Dray, growing recognition of children’s mental health challenges has increased interest in specialist wellbeing services.
Research and feedback from education professionals continue to underline the importance of addressing confidence concerns and anxiety early.
Future plans include launching online coaching programmes aimed at small groups of children looking to improve confidence and self-esteem.
These virtual services will increase access for families who may not be able to attend in-person sessions while complementing existing support options.
As the next school year approaches, Dray says her mission is to help children build the self-belief and resilience needed to face challenges with confidence.
Through a blend of teaching experience, coaching expertise and personal insight, she hopes Grow Minds Coaching will become a trusted resource for families seeking additional wellbeing support.
