Ecosensory

Sensory Regulation Incorporating Ecosensory

Planning

Together with the Headteacher, a member of the Senior Leadership Team and the staff who would be involved, we planned our new ‘Sensory Regulation’ project.

Most of the sessions took place outdoors - with the 'Flying Start' sessions taking place in the school's Flying Start Centre. Adenydd practitioners were able to model sensory regulating activities and engaging play techniques. At times, practicioners observed dysregulation and stress responses in children and were able to help staff to understand what they were observing and what might help.

At this stage, we learned that careful planning and selection of which staff will work with the children is critical to our success.

Preparation and Training

Adenydd provided initial training for the school staff around the impact of attachment difficulties. We gave an overview of Sensory Regulation (SAI model) alongside some aspects of the Ecosensory Model.

Staff completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for each child pre-intervention to act as a baseline. In the past, some schools have also used the Boxall Profile or Thrive assessments.

This pilot was delivered as two sessions per week, over six weeks, (except for 2 weeks when there was only 1 session).

Week One - Planning and Session One

Planning

Adenydd held a further planning session to discuss the needs of the children and the format of the Sunshine Circles sessions. We provided a session plan for the first week, produced using what we learned from the staff. Video clips were of the activities, as done in therapy sessions. We discussed how these might look in a small group session in a school.

After the planning session, staff were emailed:

the session plan
a prompt sheet for the schedule/plan to put up on the wall during the session
a 'memory jogger' sheet with key information about each activity.

Session One

Adenydd introduced the children to the space we were going to be using. We also introduced therapy balls and peanut balls while demonstrating how to use them safely. Each session ended with the nurturing activity of ‘snack and story’. We discussed using food to help us feel ‘just right’ and offered the children different snacks which promoted feelings of comfort.

We then met with staff at lunch time to discuss their feedback and to help us adapt the forthcoming sessions. The afternoon was spent with both staff and children in the Flying Start Centre; observing the children, discussing behaviours the staff were struggling with and any concerns they had regarding specific children.

Sessions 2 - 8

After each session, we planned the session for the week ahead with the school staff, discussed what worked well and suggested activities that would best suit the needs of the children.

As the weeks went on, and staff became more aware of which activities and equipment were helping their children, they played a greater role in planning the sessions.

Week Six - Sessions 9 and 10

During week 6, we discussed the feedback forms staff had provided to us following their Sunshine Circles sessions from the previous week. Staff then shared what they had planned themselves for this weeks upcoming sessions, using the now familiar format. They discussed how and why they had selected which activities to use, relating their choices both to the children’s needs and the four dimensions of Theraplay.

Sessions 9-10

As our previous sessions utilised their own designated space, we explained to staff it would be beneficial to spend some time with the children in their own classrooms to look at how they might use their classroom environment to support their regulation.

Adenydd used these two sessions to encourage staff and children to incorporate the activities and strategies they had learned into their own personal environments. We also modeled some nurturing and engagement-type play activities, which helped to support regulation.

One of the school staff members “found that the children have really come out of their shell from doing the project" and stated that "It has also built [the children's] confidence massively”.

Support Sessions

After half term, Adenydd provided follow-up and support sessions to check in with staff and to see how they were getting on with implementing sensory regulating activities into their classrooms and outdoor settings. These sessions supported staff by consolidating their knowledge and providing additional support for any new challenges.

Nic from Flying Start told us: “Professionally the project has made me look at children in a different way and be more empathetic to their behaviours. Personally, as a parent to a 3-year-old, it has helped me manage her tantrums in a more calming manner and help regulate her emotions.”