Ffrindiau Annwyl

Our Ffrindiau Annwyl project aims to help children develop essential social-emotional skills for healthy relationships, boost their self-esteem and confidence, and support their success as learners. The project also focuses on providing training and ongoing support to school staff while engaging parents, helping them acquire the skills to continue supporting their children’s needs both at home and with extended family members.

❤ Support Ffrindiau Annwyl

This project is funded by the Weyslan Foundation Fund 🡪 via the Community Foundation Fund for Wales.

Watch the video to learn more about The Big Give Campaign

Give Big with Big Give

Following our highly successful sessions of the Ffrindiau Annwyl project in Craigfelen, we are now looking for your support to bring it to more families.

Thanks to Big Give, our pledgers and funding champion, you can double the impact of your donation this Christmas. Every pound you donate will be matched by our funders.

For example: if we raise £4000, that means we will actually receive £8000 to use on our future projects.

Big Give week starts on the 2nd of December and ends at midday on the 9th - lets countdown the days!

Donate at Big Give

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Ffrindiau Annwyl and Theraplay Sunshine Circles

Ffrindiau Annwyl is an exciting development of an existing, successful initiative based on Theraplay Sunshine Circles. Delivered by Adenydd in a local primary school in Swansea from August 2023 to December 2024.

Theraplay is a play-based, adult-led therapeutic intervention with a strong research and evidence base. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that Theraplay significantly improves assertiveness, self-confidence, and trust, enhances interaction between autistic children and their parents, and reduces emotional distress in children. This approach is particularly beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those experiencing developmental trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Sunshine Circles at Adenydd

Visit Theraplay 🡪

Implementing Ffrindiau Annwyl - What Did We Do?

Preparation

Adenydd delivered two 2-hour training sessions for staff and parents at a local primary school.

In those sessions, Adenydd also spent an additional hour of planning time with senior staff, such as the ALNCo, to address logistical issues like room availability and pupil/class selection.

Planning ahead allowed us to share our expertise and define our capacity. Before the project began, parents and staff completed pre-intervention surveys and feedback forms to inform the delivery of the project.

The training sessions equipped staff and parents with the tools to continue the intervention independently, making the programme more sustainable in the long-term.

Intervention

Following the training, Adenydd ran two support groups: One supporting school staff in delivering the intervention to a small group of children, identified by their school as struggling.

Another was run with attendance from both parents and school staff - Adenydd lead the session and staff provided support.

To help shape future sessions, feedback forms were completed by parents and staff after each intervention. Adenydd monitored the outcomes and challenges from the sessions, in addition to the children's experiences in the classroom and at home.

Based on these observations, each weekly session was redeveloped and adjusted in collaboration with school staff.

Our Impact

The Ffrindiau Annwyl intervention has brought about significant positive changes for the children, their families and the wider community.

It has made a tangible impact on the children's emotional and behavioural well-being - with many showing improvements in their social interactions and overall engagement in school.

Staff and parents have reported an increased understanding in relation to trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), leading to more empathetic and effective support at home and in school.

For Children

The project lead to greater engagement, improved social skills and enhanced emotional regulation.

Many children displayed increased confidence and a greater sense of connection with their peers and school environment.

These changes were observed through improvements in school participation and behaviour.

It is important to note that a small number of children showed a decline in their SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) scores.

This reflects the complexity of supporting children who have experienced significant trauma and underscores the need for continued, individualised interventions to address their specific needs.

For Parents

The project helped to reduce isolation by proving a space for parents to engage with eachother, and staff. This enabled parents to share their experiences and receive support where needed.

Increased parental involvement lead to improved home-school partnerships and a more coordinated approach to supporting the children.

Parents reported feeling more empowered and equipped with strategies to support their children's development.

They also reported feeling more confident in their role as partners in their children's education.

For The Wider Community

The project created stronger ties between the school, the families, and local services.

Staff gained valuable insights into the challenges faced by children and families affected by trauma.

This lead more more inclusive and informed practices within the school.

By supporting these children, Ffrindiau Annwyl contributed to a more compassionate and understanding school culture.

Resources and Activities

Ffrindiau Annwyl Activities Booklet

Structure games, Engagement games, Nurture games and Challenge Games

View this booklet 🡪

Ffrindiau Annwyl Info and Activities

Games, activities, information and more.