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Solihull Approach OMG

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What is Solihull Approach?

The Solihull Approach is a framework that supports emotional well-being and relationship-based practice. It helps adults understand and respond to children's behaviour through the lens of containment, reciprocity, and behaviour as communication.

How does it work?

The Solihull Approach offers a framework for understanding behaviour as a form of communication. It supports adults to:

  • Contain emotional distress
  • Engage in attuned, reciprocal interactions
  • Reflect on their own and others' responses

These practices facilitate meaningful emotional engagement and help adults respond to children in more thoughtful and supportive ways.

What are the principles? What are the benefits?

Grounded in key principles—containment, reciprocity, behaviour as communication, and reflective practice—the Solihull Approach promotes:

  • Co-regulation
  • Emotional literacy
  • Secure relationships

An awareness that trauma and past experiences influence our reactions and responses not just those of the children we support.

Its benefits include:

  • Building emotional resilience
  • Supporting positive behaviour change
  • Strengthening connections across home, school, and services through early intervention and inclusive practice

It supports adults to be in rhythm with the children they support and to recognise non-verbal cues as a preventative measure.

Who and how can this intervention benefit?

The Solihull Approach supports a diverse range of individuals:

  • Children and Young People (CYP) with speech, language, emotional, or developmental needs
  • Those experiencing insecure attachments, early trauma, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, or relational difficulties
  • Parents and Carers looking to strengthen emotional bonds and promote secure relationships
  • Practitioners aiming to integrate relational, reflective practice into their work

How Can This Intervention Be Used?

The Solihull Approach is designed for flexible application and can be tailored to fit various contexts:

  • Delivered through one-to-one sessions, group work, or whole-family interventions
  • Used effectively within early help frameworks, SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) support, and mental health services
  • Implemented across education, health, and social care sectors

Its core principles—containment, reciprocity, communication through behaviour, and reflective practice—make it an adaptable tool for promoting emotional wellbeing, strengthening relationships, and supporting inclusive practice in a wide range of settings.

How can school settings support with using a Solihull Approach?

Schools play an important role in supporting emotional wellbeing, and the Solihull Approach offers tools to help with that. Staff like teachers and support workers can be trained in key ideas: understanding behaviour as communication, helping regulate emotions, and reflecting on relationships. When schools use these ideas across the board, they create a caring environment where children feel understood and safe.

This approach also helps school staff respond with empathy to students who are upset or struggling. It encourages adults to guide children calmly through their emotions and teaches them how to name and understand their feelings. Over time, this helps reduce challenging behaviour and builds trust.

Families are part of the picture too. Schools can run workshops for parents or offer extra support when children are having a tough time at home or in class. Working together strengthens bonds and makes it easier to manage challenges.

Finally, schools often work with other services like health or social care. By using the same ideas across these areas, everyone's on the same page—making support more consistent and effective. This is especially useful for children with special needs or emotional difficulties.

How Families Can Support the Solihull Approach

Families can help by using simple, caring ways to connect with their children. The Solihull Approach is based on the idea that behaviour is often a way children show how they're feeling—especially when they don't have the words. When parents and carers stay calm, listen kindly, and respond with warmth, children feel safe and understood.

It's also helpful for adults to pause and think before reacting—especially in stressful moments. This can help them understand their own emotions and respond more gently. Over time, this builds stronger family bonds and helps children feel more secure.

You don't need special sessions to use the approach—just everyday routines like chats at bedtime, mealtimes, or when emotions run high. Being patient, consistent, and open during these times helps children learn how to manage their feelings with support.

There are also parenting groups and courses based on the Solihull Approach. These give tips and advice in a relaxed setting, and help adults feel more confident when dealing with things like anxiety or tantrums.

When families use the same approach as schools or support workers, it creates a joined-up experience for children—one that feels safe, caring, and balanced.

What information/support is available nationally?

What information/ support do we have in Norfolk?

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