Are they… Disruptive? Non- compliant? Quiet? Withdrawn? Attention seeking? Aggressive? Anxious?

Whether you are working with a class or a group of children… Do you have a profile of the children? Are you aware of specific issues relating to particular children? You may know that a child has SEN, a disability, specific behavioural issues, but do you know… Is there any history of neglect or abuse? Is there any knowledge of domestic violence? Is one or more parent absent? Does one or more parent have a mental health problem or substance abuse issue? Has there been a recent bereavement or loss?

A child who lives in a nurturing environment is likely to have secure attachment. This child will know that adults are reliable He/she will feel safe and find it easy to trust adults and to relate to them Children who are experiencing the sort of situations mentioned, may have attachment disorders that will be reflected in the way they respond to you in school. If you are aware of the issues they face outside the classroom, this should help you to understand the way they behave or present in class, and give you a starting point for deciding strategies to help them to engage more effectively in the classroom. Where the child’s issues are not known, the way they present may give some clues to what might be happening in their lives, and give you a basis on which to refer to colleagues for support (safeguarding officers, mentors, pastoral support staff etc)

What’s the issue? Abuse or Neglect: The child is likely to have avoidant attachment The child believes that adults reject or intrude The child will ignore adults and look after himself The child won’t ask an adult for help The child won’t trust adults to know what he needs

Parental mental health issues: The child is likely to have ambivalent attachment The child’s experience is that adults are unpredictable The child draws attention to himself to get his needs met The child can’t trust adults to know his needs The child is afraid of being ignored

Domestic violence: The child is likely to have disorganised attachment In the child’s experience adults are frightening or abusive, or scared and helpless The child is frightened to approach an adult because he doesn’t know how they will react The child is confused The child believes bad situations are his fault The child doesn’t know whether he can trust an adult although he needs them sometimes.

As a classroom practitioner, what strategies do you need, to ensure that all pupils engage with you? Think about: Building trust Making children feel secure Building self-esteem

Linking the children’s issues discussed to the “Every Child Matters” agenda: Be Safe How safe do children feel? Be Healthy What safeguards their emotional wellbeing? Enjoy and Achieve Are they ready to learn? Achieve Economic Wellbeing What sort of socio-economic group are your children’s families likely to belong to? What sort of aspirations are these families likely to have for their children? Make a Positive Contribution How involved are your children in the school community?

Think about the unmet needs for some of your children:

What can schools offer to ensure that these needs are met? Biological/life needs (food, drink, shelter etc) Safety needs (protection, stability and boundaries) Belongingness and love needs (positive relationships, groups etc) Esteem needs (achievement, status, responsibility) Once you’ve identified an unmet need, how can you access interventions?

Gill Simpson Child and Family Wellbeing Manager, Dryclough CE (VC) Infant School