Description

This is a practical ‘non-medical’ day or half day workshop or twilight session for front line practitioners working with children and young people that will find starting at a new school or setting difficult. 

Drawing from international research and literature, reports from inclusive schools and our own experience over many years as educational psychologists of the challenges of children with major social and emotional needs, we will explore together what the best practice can and could look like. 

We explore:

  1. Creating a welcoming team or ‘committee’ of young people

  2. Training the team in effective ‘welcoming’ and supporting

  3. Building a support circle around a new child and running this circle effectively

  4. Auditing what makes for a successful welcome of any new child at the school

  5. Facilitating the involvement of young people in successful welcoming activities and preparation

  6. Links between this work and building ‘circles of friends’ and peer mediator training

Course Content

The course explores the questions :

  • What does it take for a child to:

  1. Feel safe and secure as they transition into a new school or setting?

    1. Feel supported by their new peer group?

    2. Understand how a new setting or school operates and to feel confident there?

    3. What else can we do to go about including high profile children or young people with challenging emotional needs?

    4. How can we best enlist the involvement of children and young people in the early work of inclusion with a new member of the school or setting? 

This course also explores practical strategies, concepts and language for key adults building relationships with individual pupils.

This is a participative day that aims to be explorative and practical. Opportunities to develop empathy with the children of concern will be created.


Testimonials


Belonging and feelings are so important

Definitely made me reflect a lot on the go-to behaviour management techniques we use!

Excellent!

Never thought of it like this before

Learning Objectives

  1. Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice for newcomer children in mainstream schools

  2. The challenge of a good ‘welcome’ fully understood

  3. Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on settling an individual’s social and behavioural needs on joining a new setting

  4. Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of emotionally disabled children

  5. Opportunity to reflect on involving children and young people in effectively welcoming and including new students

  6. New skills, scripts and processes to make inclusion and relationships in school fulfilling and restorative 


Who Is It For ?

  • Practitioners working in schools and other settings with children and young people of all ages

  • Key workers

  • Teaching Assistants with support roles

  • Heads and deputies

  • SENCOs

  • Advanced skills teachers

  • Primary and secondary classroom teachers

  • Parents

  • Local authority support services

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