What is it about?
Children who have experienced early trauma and abuse often do less well educationally. This paper describes the approach of a UK therapeutic residential special for children aged 6-13, who before coming to the school had been unable to access education.
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Why is it important?
The children have experienced exceptional early disadvantage and challenge. However, the therapeutic care and education at the Mulberry Bush led to significant socio-emotional, behavioural and academic improvements. These improvements are unusual in this population of children.
Perspectives
I hope this paper helps people see how therapeutic interventions can make a real difference. We need to prioritise spending for traumatised children on effective services and I think commissioners for children's services would be interested in this approach.
Dr Caryn Onions
The Mulberry Bush Organisation
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A longitudinal study of children’s outcomes in a residential special school, Journal of Social Work Practice, October 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/02650533.2018.1503162.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Emotional Security in the Classroom project
Emotional security (ES) as defined by the Boxall Profile, is a classroom trait that can be observed through a child’s investment in and care for their work, alongside the quality of their interaction with staff. Staff will receive training in a new academic curriculum and teacher resilience and TA impact will be maximised. Pupil and staff data will be collected to answer the overarching research question ‘Can levels of ’emotional security’ in children attending the MBS be increased through adaptations made to the school curriculum and to teacher resilience?
Mulberry Bush website
The Mulberry Bush is committed to researching therapeutic practice with children and families, particularly in residential and education settings.
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