The Importance of Staff Training

We found that staff members were very positive, engaged, and keen to apply their knowledge in between the sessions. Staff involved with training were very supportive of the children whilst in sessions.

Following the closure of the school, we were very aware that schools were working hard in the Summer term to maintain contact with their children, so we provided two emails signposting schools to helpful information.

In the Autumn term, we had two online meetings with the school staff involved in deliverying the intervention to support them, and to see if we could be of further help.

The school staff felt that the training and involvement in sessions helped them to understand and apply this approach during the Autumn term when we could not attend in person.

Impact of COVID-19

School Staff commented on the difference in observed behaviours during the Just Right State sessions, as opposed to behaviours in school.

They were pleased with the way that the children were relating to new adults and the children's enthusiasm in the sessions. However, these children were likely to be vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19, so their needs likely increased during that last year.

Staff readibly compiled data at the start and the end of the project, but steady progress and maintenace was not expected. The data at the end of the project was gathered in September, once the school was fully reopened.

Our face-to-face work had finished in March of 2020. We concluded that it would be useful to reapply the questionnaire in the coming school year to see if the gains would remain consistent.

Food and Emotional Regulation

The use of food to regulate was based on research covering the impact of certain foods on the body. This was received well by the children, who enjoyed these elements of the session. The children were also able to talk about how the different foods made them feel.

The use of hot milk and a curly straw was effective in encouraging a more relaxed approach in the children.

One child struggled with the idea of food generally, but was helped to regulate by a supportive member of staff within the session. Another child was supported in school by the member of staff using food to help regulate. 

Stories, Characters, and Feelings

School The 'Scared Gang' books were another effective element in the intervention. Each book takes a survival state and an attachment pattern and describes how they present in terms of feelings and behaviours.

The books outline strategies that can help to address the impact of these patterns. Staff reported that one child identified closely with one of the 'Scared Gang' characters.

The abrupt end to the school-based sessions meant that we were unable to include the element of children writing their own stories. We would encourage the school to use stories and writing with their pupils as a way of supporting their transition to other staff and situations.

Enhance parents awareness of their own emotional engagement patterns.

Teach parents how to help regulate their child from sensory and attachment perspectives.

Address underlying reasons for a child's behaviour.