Statutory School Age Children and Young People

Designated Teachers play a vital role as a safe adult, advocate, and guide for children in care. A trauma-informed, attachment-aware approach not only supports these pupils to learn and thrive, but also creates a classroom culture that is compassionate and inclusive for all

1. Building Positive Relationships

With Young People:

• Prioritise connection before correction: Children in care may have disrupted attachments. Focus first on relationships, not behaviour management.
• Consistent, warm adult presence: Be a predictable, nurturing adult. Greet each student by name daily. Use calm, friendly tones.
• Emotionally attuned communication: Reflect and validate emotions: "You look upset - do you want to talk or have some quiet time?"
• High warmth, high expectations: Balance nurture and structure. Offer encouragement while maintaining clear, gentle boundaries.
• Personalised attention: Learn about the child's interests and talents to help build trust and identity.

With Carers and Social Workers:

• Open communication channels: Share successes, not just concerns. Use respectful, jargon-free language.
• Regular updates and check-ins: Provide timely feedback about academic and emotional progress.
• Respect lived experience: Recognise that carers often know the child well. Collaborate, don't instruct.
• Involve in transitions and planning: Include carers and social workers in meetings around support plans, PEPs, and school transitions.

2. Creating a Safe and Secure Classroom

Emotional Safety:

• Predictable routines: Timetables, visual cues, and consistent language reduce anxiety and build trust.
• Flexible response to distress: Offer safe spaces (e.g., calm corners), time-out cards, or movement breaks.
• No shame-based discipline: Avoid exclusion, sarcasm, or public corrections. Use restorative approaches when harm occurs.

Physical Safety:

• Classroom layout and supervision: Ensure children can always see the adult and feel secure in their physical space.
• Sensory considerations: Be aware of triggers like noise, touch, and lighting. Offer tools (ear defenders, fiddle toys) where appropriate.

3. Reflective and Curious Teaching Practice

• See behaviour as communication: Ask "What is this child telling me?" rather than "What is wrong with them?"
• Maintain professional curiosity: Be open to the unseen causes of behaviours: attachment disruption, grief, fear, or shame.
• Ongoing professional development: Attend trauma-informed, attachment-focused training. Share learning with colleagues.
• Use supervision and peer reflection: Regularly reflect with safeguarding leads or school counsellors to prevent burnout and bias.

4. Teaching Approaches that Support Regulation and Learning

• Co-regulation first: Help children calm before expecting them to learn. Offer grounding activities and connection.
• Emotion coaching: Teach language for feelings and model self-regulation: "I'm feeling frustrated too. Let's take a breath together."
• Build in success: Design learning that allows early wins and celebrates progress, not just attainment.
• Adapted academic expectations: Understand that emotional needs may impact learning. Allow catch-up time and scaffolding.
• Use relational repair: When things go wrong, gently repair the relationship: "I'm sorry that was hard today. I'm still here for you."

5. Whole-School Consistency and Advocacy

• Whole-school ethos: Ensure all staff understand trauma-informed, attachment-aware principles. Be a model for this in action.
• Advocate for the child: Be their voice in staff meetings, PEPs, and review processes.
• Transition support: Pay extra attention to changes in school year, class, or placement. Plan them with care and inclusion.
• Celebrate identity and resilience: Help children in care build positive self-identity. Celebrate strengths, cultural background, and milestones.

6. Understanding SEN and Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN)

Many Children in Care (CiC) have underlying or undiagnosed SEN, particularly in the areas of speech, language and communication, social interaction, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. A trauma-informed and attachment-aware approach must also consider how these needs intersect with developmental trauma and disrupted attachment.

 Key Considerations:

• High incidence of need: A disproportionate number of CiC have SLCN or neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD, autism, or specific learning difficulties.
• Overlap with trauma: Behaviours linked to trauma (e.g. hypervigilance, avoidance, shutdown) can mask or mimic SEN.
• Late or missed diagnoses: Children entering care often have gaps in their assessment history. Referrals may be delayed or lost through placement moves.

Suitable for Reception to Year 11