Supporting Vulnerable Learners: Enhancing Educational Chances

1. Enabling the most vulnerable learners to succeed.Children in CareChildren adopted from CareChildren under Special Guardianship VjBorehamCiCproject

2. HARD FACTS VjBorehamCiCproject

3. 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. VjBorehamCiCproject

4. WHY?What have these children experienced?What do they feel?What do they think?What do they do? VjBorehamCiCproject

5. 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 VjBorehamCiCproject

6. Developmental Trauma Reminder • Executive Function • Affect Regulation • Psychological Development VjBorehamCiCproject

7. Executive Function • Initiate • Use of working memory • Planning and organisation • Shifting from one activity to another • Evaluating the impact of actions • Stopping inappropriate behaviour VjBorehamCiCproject

8. Affect Regulation • States, sensations, feelings • Self soothing • Comfort levels • Sensitivity to sensory touch • Dissociative responses • Hypo and hyper responses • Settling issues VjBorehamCiCproject

9. Psychological Development • Relationships • Emotional/social v chronological age • Control • Anxiety • Toxic shame • Permanency • Constancy • Fear and panic • Trust • Mixed motives VjBorehamCiCproject

10. THE EVERYDAYWhat might these be? • Separation from parent or carer • Lesson changes • Playtime and lunchtime • End of the day VjBorehamCiCproject

11. belonging Key adult safety SEPARATION FROM PARENT /CARER MEET AND GREET Transitional objects Plan for the day Held in mind 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? VjBorehamCiCproject

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

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

14. Reflection END OF THE DAY END OF THE WEEK Transitional objects Transfer of messages to parents Keeping in Mind VjBorehamCiCproject

15. THE ‘ONE OFFS’ – THE UNPREDICTABLESWhat 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 VjBorehamCiCproject

16. THE ‘ONE OFFS’ – THE UNPREDICTABLESDISAPPOINTMENT AND LOSSHow do we feel / cope?Presenting behaviours– tantrums, crying, slumping DISAPPOINTMENT LOSS Acknowledge State Translate Keep in mind activities Keeping close • Acknowledge • State • Translate • Positives VjBorehamCiCproject

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

18. THE MEDIUMS – Holidays and Year EndSTRATEGIES • Timetable routine • Visual countdowns • Busy folders / soothers • Key Person - stability • Reflection - remember emotional age issues • What has gone well • What are the worries • What is happening after the break • Transitional objects • Ways to be remembered • Transitional visits pre and post • Staggered endings VjBorehamCiCproject

19. Curve of Strong Emotion Verity Boreham

20. Window of Tolerance Verity Boreham

21. Stress ResponsesUnderstand 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

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

23. Verity Boreham Verity Boreham

24. PLACE • Playful • Liking • Accepting • Curiosity • Empathy Verity Boreham

25. 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

26. Some Guiding Principles • 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 Verity Boreham