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Nurture interventions
Nurture Support
Before working with any child a Comprehensive Motional assessment is completed. Motional measures the different emotional systems in the brain (CARE, SEEKING, PLAY, FEAR, RAGE, PANIC/GRIEF based on Professor Jaak Panksepp’s work) We carry out termly universal group assessments of our classes and use Motional to write a specific program for the class based on their specific needs. These are discussed at our pupil progress meetings. For children who need a more specific approach an individual universal or, in some cases, comprehensive assessment is carried out. This allows us to develop individual programs which are either delivered by the class teacher/year team or as interventions led by our qualified Trauma Informed Nurture Specialist TA. These children are discussed at termly nurture meetings. Nurture support can take a variety of formats including Drawing and Talking, a gentle non-intrusive method of working with children who may need support with their emotional needs. Other support might include group work to develop confidence, emotional literacy and a chance to develop different friendships. Lego therapy and sand therapy are also used with some children as appropriate. Many children receive nurture support for a few weeks while others may benefit from a longer programme. Forest School and Paws4Pals (therapy dog) are also part of our nurture provision at Castle Hill.
Forest School Intervention
Forest School originated in Scandinavia and was brought to the UK in the early 1990s. Sessions are always child led (to foster independence), long term (to build trust and relationships) and outside (to gain the many physical and emotional benefits from being in nature). The Forest School ethos aims to promote students’ confidence, social skills, sense of self-worth and emotional well-being in an outdoors environment.
Students are not taught, but are encouraged to find things out for themselves through play i.e. games, stories, creative expression and sharing. Through play the child develops their initiative and imagination (problem solving), learns resilience and resourcefulness (perseverance and determination), how to give and ask for help and support from peers.
Activities are provided during a forest school session but the emphasis is on the children choosing what they do. Activities might include den building, cutting firewood and fire building, knot tying, crafts such as making dream catchers or whistles, games, rope swings, flora and fauna ID as well as stories and sharing.
Forest School Interventions sessions form part of our nurture based interventions. These sessions are additional to class based Forest School.
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