Enabling the most vulnerable learners to succeed Children

Enabling the most vulnerable learners to succeed. Children in Care Children adopted from Care Children under Special Guardianship Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

HARD FACTS 2016 Measure NON LAC KS 1 Reading 74% 50% Writing 66% 37% Maths 73% 46% Reading 66% 41% Writing 74% 46% Maths 70% 40% Combined 54% 25% KS 2 Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

HARD FACTS In 2016 17. 5% LAC gained 5 or more A*-C. The figure for Non LAC was 58. 8% Figures for adopted children are even worse. Adopted children are more likely to be permanently excluded than non adopted children. Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

WHY? What have these children experienced? What do they feel? What do they think? What do they do? Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

What can we do to make a difference for these vulnerable learners to alter their educational chances? Relationship Routine and structure Transitions Behaviour as a communicator Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

Developmental Trauma Reminder 1. Executive Function 2. Affect Regulation 3. Psychological Development Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

Executive Function Initiate Use of working memory Planning and organisation Shifting from one activity to another Evaluating the impact of actions Stopping inappropriate behaviour Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

Affect Regulation Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject States, sensations, feelings Self soothing Comfort levels Sensitivity to sensory touch Dissociative responses Hypo and hyper responses Settling issues

Psychological Development Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject Relationships Emotional/social v chronological age Control Anxiety Toxic shame Permanency Constancy Fear and panic Trust Mixed motives

THE EVERYDAY What might these be? Separation from parent or carer Lesson changes Playtime and lunchtime End of the day Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

belonging Key adult safety SEPARATION FROM PARENT /CARER MEET AND GREET Plan for the day Held in mind Transitional objects How do you prepare yourself for the day ahead? How do you feel when you can’t follow the usual pattern and have to rush into a meeting or activity instead? Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

Don’t rush me! safety Timers, warnings MOVING FROM ACTIVITY TO ACTIVITY teacher Learning space task Teaching / lesson style KEY PERSON PPA Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject Small groups / interventions Safety checks

PLAYTIMES AND LUNCHTIMES THE PROBLEM POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS Structure – zoning, timetabled activities ‘together’ Lack of structure Relational Food Key Adult/MDA - CPD Noise Differentiation for social expectations / scaffolding Transition out and in Stressors that lead to dysregulation Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

Reflection END OF THE DAY END OF THE WEEK Transitional objects Transfer of messages to parents Keeping in Mind Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

THE ‘ONE OFFS’ – THE UNPREDICTABLES What might these be? Wet play Change in assembly time Swimming bus breaks down Best friend absent due to illness Teacher absent Best friend moves Physical environment changes Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

THE ‘ONE OFFS’ – THE UNPREDICTABLES DISAPPOINTMENT AND LOSS How do we feel / cope? Presenting behaviours – tantrums, crying, slumping DISAPPOINTMENT LOSS 1. Acknowledge 2. State 3. Translate 4. Positives 4. Keep in mind activities 5. Keeping close Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

THE MEDIUMS – Holidays and Year End Issues: respite, structure, safety, opportunity Unsettling behaviours driven by us Pupil internal responses / thoughts Displays What is going on? Furniture Will I be remembered? Stock Building work Who will my teacher be? Will she like me? Teachers Where will I sit? Productions What will happen in the holidays? References to future Will I be coming back? Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

THE MEDIUMS – Holidays and Year End STRATEGIES Timetable routine Visual countdowns Busy folders / soothers Key Person - stability Reflection - remember emotional age issues 1. What has gone well 2. What are the worries 3. What is happening after the break Transitional objects Ways to be remembered Transitional visits pre and post Staggered endings Vj. Boreham. Ci. Cproject

Curve of Strong Emotion Verity Boreham PHASE ACTION Trigger Phase An external situation or event or an internal thought, feeling or memory – it knocks you off your usual emotional baseline Know your children! Know your own stressors! Be proactive in lessening chances of a child / children being triggered. Escalation Phase The emotion is getting bigger and bigger Be proactive: Calm, soothe, distract Crisis Phase The emotion reaches a peak. It is difficult to think clearly or listen to others Do not use lots of words. Do not try to reason. Identify a safe place and safe person. Recovery Phase The emotion slowly dies away but can easily be re triggered Avoid challenging conversations. Be gentle. Help child to do things that soothe and calm Post Crisis Dip May feel wobbly, tearful, sorry, sad Help child to think calmly about incident. Help them problem solve anything that hasn’t been resolved. Proactively restore relationships.

Window of Tolerance HYPER-AROUSAL fight/flight HYPO-AROUSAL freeze/collapse/submit Verity Boreham

Stress Responses Understand stressors and minimize them. Be a frontal cortex! See behaviour for what it is Understand what is being communicated Regulate through relationship Regulate through techniques Verity Boreham

Misconceptions What we say Unacceptable behaviour / naughty child Reality Understandable behaviour In flight survival In fight survival Frightened Avoidant Defiant Aggressive Attention seeking Connection needing Withdrawn Cautious Rude Self protective Not engaged Doesn’t feel safe yet Verity Boreham

regulate repair restore reason reintegrate Verity Boreham

PLACE Playful Liking Accepting Curiosity Empathy Verity Boreham

THERE IS HOPE – THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS the brain altered in destructive ways by neglect and trauma can also be altered in reparative, healing ways. Perry identified SSNRs (safe, stable, nurturing relationships) as crucial in ameliorating the effects of child maltreatment and ultimately in promoting healthy habits and lifestyles. – Safe: free from fear and secure from psychological or physical harm – Stable: predictable and consistent – Nurturing: available and sensitive to respond to child’s needs. Verity Boreham

Some Guiding Principles Verity Boreham Nurture - Relationships matter, caring counts. Patient, parallel and present Engagement- Emotional age over chronological age Structure- predictability and routine over chaos Challenge- mistakes are welcome and there is always a way back