The child beyond the classroom

1. The child beyond the classroom

2. Do you have children who stand out from the crowd? Anxious? Disruptive? Are they… Withdrawn? Non-compliant? Quiet? Aggressive? Attention seeking?

3. What do you know about them ? What do you NEED to know about them ? How much information is shared about the children you work with? What difference can it make?

4. Whether you are working with a class or a group of children… • Do you have a profile of the children? • Are you aware of specific issues relating to particular children? • You may know that a child has SEN, a disability, specific behavioural issues, but do you know… • Is there any history of neglect or abuse? • Is there any knowledge of domestic violence? • Is one or more parent absent? • Does one or more parent have a mental health problem or substance abuse issue? • Has there been a recent bereavement or loss?

5. A child who lives in a nurturing environment is likely to have secure attachment. • This child will know that adults are reliable • He/she will feel safe and find it easy to trust adults and to relate to them • Children who are experiencing the sort of situations mentioned, may have attachment disorders that will be reflected in the way they respond to you in school. • If you are aware of the issues they face outside the classroom, this should help you to understand the way they behave or present in class, and give you a starting point for deciding strategies to help them to engage more effectively in the classroom. • Where the child’s issues are not known, the way they present may give some clues to what mightbe happening in their lives, and give you a basis on which to refer to colleagues for support (safeguarding officers, mentors, pastoral support staff etc)

6. What’s the issue? • Abuse or Neglect: • The child is likely to have avoidant attachment • The child believes that adults reject or intrude • The child will ignore adults and look after himself • The child won’t ask an adult for help • The child won’t trust adults to know what he needs

7. Parental mental health issues: • The child is likely to have ambivalent attachment • The child’s experience is that adults are unpredictable • The child draws attention to himself to get his needs met • The child can’t trust adults to know his needs • The child is afraid of being ignored

8. Domestic violence: • The child is likely to have disorganised attachment • In the child’s experience adults are frightening or abusive, or scared and helpless • The child is frightened to approach an adult because he doesn’t know how they will react • The child is confused • The child believes bad situations are his fault • The child doesn’t know whether he can trust an adult although he needs them sometimes.

9. As a classroom practitioner, what strategies do you need, to ensure that all pupils engage with you? • Think about: • Building trust • Making children feel secure • Building self-esteem

10. Linking the children’s issues discussed to the “Every Child Matters” agenda: • Be Safe • How safe do children feel? • Be Healthy • What safeguards their emotional wellbeing? • Enjoy and Achieve • Are they ready to learn? • Achieve Economic Wellbeing • What sort of socio-economic group are your children’s families likely to belong to? What sort of aspirations are these families likely to have for their children? • Make a Positive Contribution • How involved are your children in the school community?

11. Think about the unmet needs for some of your children:

12. What can schools offer to ensure that these needs are met? • Biological/life needs (food, drink, shelter etc) • Safety needs (protection, stability and boundaries) • Belongingness and love needs (positive relationships, groups etc) • Esteem needs (achievement, status, responsibility) • Once you’ve identified an unmet need, how can you access interventions?

13. What difference can you make for the children who stand out in a crowd? Gill Simpson Child and Family Wellbeing Manager, Dryclough CE (VC) Infant School gill.simpson@edukirklees.net