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The WSOA Emotion Coaching Project 2019-2020 Report
Public Health Somerset County Council
Dr Sarah Temple MRCGP Director EHCAP Ltd
‘We approach the issue of breaking cycles of intergenerational adversity and improving outcomes for children, young people and families through evidence based psycho-education tools that can be accessed easily and used effectively by everyone. Talking about emotions, relationships and how we connect with each other is a universal language’. Dr Sarah Temple MRCGP, Director EHCAP
‘Addressing the early childhood stressors that lead to chronic, lifelong inflammation may dramatically reduce the need for costly treatments for a wide range of multiple physical and mental health conditions as well as enhancing educational achievement. Health-promoting environments early in life are critically important, but it’s never too late to reduce risk.’
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, ‘Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body- Early Childhood Experience and Lifelong Health’ pages 9-13
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Summary of Impact This report forms part of the Somerset Children and Young People Emotional Health and Wellbeing programme and activity managed by Public Health at Somerset County Council. The Somerset Emotion Coaching Project was commissioned by Public Health, Somerset County Council in January 2015 and completed in January 2019. The Project was highly successful in bringing a Universal language for Young People, Parents, Families and Professionals across Health, Care, Education and Policing Services to Somerset. The key to the success of the Mindful Emotion Coaching and Adverse Childhood Experience (MACE) approach is that skill building in Emotion Intelligence and Executive function are relevant to us all as well as being particularly relevant for those children, young people and adults (parents, carers and professionals) who have experienced childhood adversity. This report outlines the twelve month piece of work from January 2019 which was commissioned by Public Health to further promote Mindful Emotion Coaching and ACE awareness in West Somerset. The MACE approach draws extensively on research from Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, the applied neuroscience of Dan Siegel and David Eagleman, as well as John Gottman’s Emotion Coaching. Dan Siegel’s Hand Model metaphor of the brain has become the backbone of the programme and his Mindsight resources including the ‘Wheel of Awareness’ are popular in developing mindful activities. Information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and effects on long term physical and mental health were added to the core attachment awareness material in 2018 with an inclusion exercise for staff. Self care and safeguarding remain the golden thread through the whole approach.
‘‘As SENCo I brought the ideas from the training I completed through EHCAP to school during an in service training session. I believe one of the most powerful aspects of learning was around the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Learning about ACEs and linking this to the positive message of neuro plasticity has been profound. Months after the training a teacher of a child who has experienced immense adversity resulting in challenging behaviour at school stated “I know why he behaves as he does and I will always have his back”. Lucy Silk, SENCo and Volunteer Coach, E-learning Team
Authors and Contributors : Dr Sarah Temple Director EHCAP Ltd (innovations for education, health, care and prison services) Fiona Moir Health Promotion Manager – Professional Lead for Child and Family, Jameela Ingram Public Health Commissioner, Sam Sidney Educational Psychologist Conflicts of Interest : Dr Sarah Temple is a Director of EHCAP Ltd Date report completed : June 2020
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Art work from Dunster First School
West Somerset Opportunities Area (WSOA) Under contract with Public Health, Bath Spa and EHCAP brought 'something different' to Somerset in 2015 and in doing so acted as a catalyst for change. Our mantra around Improving Outcomes for Children and Families through easy and memorable psycho education tools that can be accessed by children, young people, parents, carers, families and professionals across all services and all tiers is at the cutting edge of national and international thinking around reducing intergenerational cycles of adversity. This part of the WSOA project work was overseen by Public Health, Somerset County Council. EHCAP Ltd was commissioned to provide services and reported progress through an agreed reporting template every three months. EHCAP has continued to support parents, families and professionals (including the SHARE team) across Somerset through access to coaching, a Learning Community What’s App group and a free e-learning portal. This Report provides a summary of the WSOA project as well as reference to ongoing work across the whole of Somerset.
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CONTENTS
1.0 Contracted services provided by EHCAP 5 1.1 MACE training content 6 1.2 INSET sessions 9 1.3 MACE workshops 10 1.4 Working with behaviour support teams 11
1.5 Supervision for school based staff 12 1.6 Coaching 12 1.7 Early Years 12 1.8 Working Together with Health and Care Colleagues (part funded by EHCAP) 13 1.9 ‘Why are we Waiting’ 16 1.10 Sixth Formers 16 2.0 Working with Parents and Families 2.1 Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens 17 2.2 Mindful Emotion Coaching e-learning portal for parents 19 2.3 Family Wellness Programme 22
3.0 Networking and supporting professionals 3.1 Learning Community 22 4.0 Social media 24 5.0 APPENDIX 25 5.1 The Somerset Emotion Coaching Project History 25 5.2 Why are we Waiting – Elspeth Penny 29 5.3 Grizzly Question responses from the e-learning portal 33 5.4 More feedback from parents attending Tuning in to Teens groups 37 www.maceapproach.co.uk
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1.0 Contracted services provided by EHCAP with feedback in italics
Following an initial scoping meeting in February 2019, EHCAP was successful in planning and overseeing the organisation of the development of Dulverton Schools (Early Years to Year 6), Dunster First School and Old Cleeve First School as Emotion Coaching hubs. Unfortunately the intended hub at St Michael’s First School in Minehead did not materialise but EHCAP was able to work effectively across West Somerset Early Years settings providing a popular networking opportunity. Meetings with hub schools and training workshops were recorded and reported to the commissioning team. Appropriate trainers were appointed including a Lead Trainer, Sam Sidney from the Educational Psychology Team. EHCAP funded Sam’s attendance at Tuning in to Teens training for which she was awarded a certificate and manual enabling her to run Tuning in to Teens Parent groups. Sam received supervision from EHCAP throughout the year and was provided with an online form with a reminder of the detail of the expectations of the project and facility to document progress throughout the year. Additional updates were provided at a two day Mindful Emotion Coaching workshop in Danesfield in April 2019. Sam represented the project at two multiagency meetings hosted by Dr Kelsey Boddington, Exmoor Medical Centre as part of the West Somerset Primary Care Network Vision for Women, Children & Younger People where the gaps identified were behaviour support for families and children, bereavement support for children and support for children and families where a child has mental health difficulties including ADHD. In response to these gaps Dr Sarah Temple worked with Dr Kelsey Boddington, Carly Hatch (Head Teacher, Dulverton Schools) and Carole Flottemesch (Head of Early Years, Dulverton) supporting school readiness with emotion coaching for parents and carers. Throughout the year, taking learning from the Somerset Emotion Coaching Project and elsewhere across the country, EHCAP further developed the Mindful Emotion Coaching and Adverse Childhood Experience Awareness (MACE) approach and during the summer of 2019, Dr Sarah Temple wrote up a summary which can be streamed at www.maceapproach.co.uk . MACE training materials and powerpoint slides for this project were approved by the Public Health commissioners.
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1.1 MACE Training Content 2019-20 'working with schools and communities to develop emotional resilience' www.maceapproach.co.uk
Mindful Emotion Coaching is about building emotional resilience and mental wellbeing by enabling conversations about emotions behind behaviours and building understanding of the neuroscience of brain development, human interactions and mindful awareness. The approach references the evidence base developed by Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University as well as the work of Professors Dan Siegel and John Gottman and focuses on the ‘how to’ of developing emotion resilience. The core principles of MACE: • responsive relationships and positive experiences build sturdy brain architecture and promote healthy development, starting before birth and during infancy • toxic stress disrupts the developing brain and other biological systems with lifelong consequences for learning, behaviour and health (eg mental and emotional health difficulties, susceptibility to addiction, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes) • the foundations of resilience can be strengthened in young children through reciprocal 'serve and return' interactions that scaffold life skills of self regulation, emotion regulation and executive function
MACE builds awareness of the importance of our own wellbeing as the foundation for us all being able to model responsive relationships and build core life skills. It creates an opportunity to look at how we manage our own emotions when young people are struggling to regulate theirs. There is an emphasis on emotion literacy for both children and adult care givers and skills are developed in identifying our core human emotions and noticing how our brain reacts when we find ourselves in danger of ‘flipping our lids’. MACE uses Dan Siegel’s Hand Model metaphor to enable easy access to understanding the importance of inter connectedness both within or individual brains and also with each other. Through online resources MACE provides easy access to video clips and other resources to support staff using the metaphor effectively. The Hand Model - Professor Daniel J Siegel, The Whole Brain Child, pages 62-63. Mind Your Brain © Inc 2015. In this model, the part of the brain that governs emotion is represented by the thumb and acts like an accelerator. The thinking part of the brain acts as a brake on emotions and is
6 mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk Alpiri™ represented by the finger tips. When the thumb is 'reactive' and the fingers pushed up we have ‘Flipped our Lid’. When the thumb is calm and the fist is closed (representing motorways of connections between different areas of the brain) we are responsive. This is when we make our best decisions. When our lid is down and we are interacting with others who also have their lid down we make our best collective decisions and choices. We can learn to calm the reactivity of our brain through emotion coaching techniques and mindful exercises. This is also referred to as Vagal Tone. The vagus nerve travels from the brain stem to key organs in the body and when activated (For example through stmulation of the pre- frontal cortex by naming the experienced emotion) lowers the heart rate and breathing rate. The relevance of relationships to early brain development. Through non-invasive scanning of very young babies and children, the brain has been understood to be a ‘social organ.’ The normal development of the brain relies on stimulation through social interaction and is influenced as well by other factors including epigenetics, physical health, and diet. Seeing the brain as a social organ dependent upon relationships with other people and understanding the neuroscience of how our brains develop early on in our lives helps us all understand our emotions. In 2018, in response to feedback from front line staff we included Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) data from Anda and Felitti’s seminal study in 1998. This was developed during the year by EHCAP and the learning incorporated into the Mindful Emotion Coaching and ACE Awareness or MACE approach. The MACE approach has been further updated over the year and now (June 2020) includes both Welsh and American ACE data. In response to feedback received from learners EHCAP has merged learning from the Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University about the science of stress (positive, tolerable, toxic stress) into the MACE powerpoint training slides and also the ©EHCAP Family Wellness Programme. In addition information about Ingroups and Outgroups based on attachment science and the work of David Eagleman has been very popular and is now embedded within the approach.
John Gottman and Emotion Coaching
Professor John Gottman is an American psychologist who has studied human relationships for decades. Gottman and Katz (1996) describe Emotion Coaching was as a parenting style- we have adapted this to apply to relationship styles in human communication generally. The four styles Gottman describes are : Emotion Coaching, Emotion Dismissing (often motivated by a desire to fix eg don’t worry, you’ll be fine), Emotion Disapproving (often motivated by a desire to control or regain power) and Laissez Faire Style (lack of boundaries).
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John Gottman’s five steps of Emotion Coaching: 1.Tune in. 2.Connect with the people around you. 3.Recognise feelings and empathise with them. 4.Validate feelings – try to define and label them. 5.Problem solve and where necessary impose limits.
Emotion coaching is about building and enriching relationships. The problem solving comes last – after you’ve talked about your feelings. Emotion Coaching Case Studies
Self Care and Mindful Activities Self Care for professionals and parents is a core part of the MACE approach and EHCAP continues to develop resources with mindful activities and meditation at their core. At the level of neuroplasticity, mindful activities drive functional connectivity between different regions of the brain which do better when they connect with each other. They improve attention regulation, emotion intelligence, perspective taking - all sorts of biological functions that have profound effects on our health and wellbeing. Every workshop has a mindful activity within it and the MACE Workshop 2 has a Self Care Exercise. Headspace are no longer providing free subscriptions but school based staff are able to apply for a free subscription individually. The Mindful Lean (ERIC) has been particularly popular this year as has Dan Siegel’s Wheel of Awareness.
MACE evidence base and references - Listed through links at www.emotionintelligence.co.uk
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1.2 INSET SESSIONS Dunster Sam Sidney (Lead Trainer) supported by Liz Peacock Example of Feedback:
• "I particularly liked the inclusion of Toxic Stress and ACEs and how this can have an adverse effect of a child and young persons brain development and their future physical and mental health." • Some informative points were raised. It was good to have a large number of people from our school at the same training, hearing the same message. • "Was really good to share the training with so many other members of staff in different roles. • Really good to hear facilitators own lived experience and knowledge." • Very interesting. The content was informative and well presented • I believe in Emotion Coaching and already do it to some extent (although I didn’t know that’s what it is). I like the glitter bottle and will do a circle time around this. • Improved knowledge of emotional coaching • Loved the mixture of the presentation of ppt information slides, reference to books and video clips. Dulverton Sept 2nd Sam Sidney, supported by Suzy Wedley Examples of Feedback on ‘golden nuggets of learning’:
• ‘Learning about the different parts of the brain and how they impact each other.’’ • ‘Explanation of how the brain develops and how that links to emotions. Phrases to use with children when discussing their emotions. The hand model to use with children and practical strategies to help children’. • "The organisation of facilitators. Reinforcing some of the theory.” • “Breathing exercises, iceberg graph." • “Delivery of information was very good.” • "Very good presentation, with practical advice”. • ‘Leaders made staff feel very positive about the issue.’ • ‘Clear and detailed info that was useful’
West Somerset College- three sessions and one session at St Michaels and Old Cleeve - Neil Harris Examples of Feedback on ‘golden nuggets of learning’:
• "Reminder of importance of emotional understanding.’ • ‘Activities to build empathy skills"
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• ‘Very helpful as parent and teacher to deal with teenage problems’. • ‘Informative workshop on understanding emotions and being able to help young people identify what they’re feeling, recognise why they’re feeling the way they do and how to help them control emotions’. • ‘Clear explanations. Links to neuroscience were helpful.’ • ‘Useful to think about the experience of students and our response to them as teachers.’ • ‘Learning about emotions and the reasons behind behaviour’ • ‘Steps for wellbeing I found them very useful’ • ‘Chance to discuss the stages of wellbeing. Reminder of principles’. • ‘Learning to look after myself’ • "Time to reflect’ • ‘To be reminded to look after ourselves and how, focus on the positives’ • "It was: Engaging, Thought provoking, Helpful, Reflective” • ‘Time to reflect and consider own well-being. Strategies for well-being.’ • ‘Interesting to think about links between childhood and behaviour etc’.
1.3 MACE workshops Two day MACE update in Williton, April 2019 led by Dr Sarah Temple
Feedback on golden nuggets: • "Refreshing to share in the inspiring Sarah who cascades confidence in the change that needs to happen in our sector. • ‘Powerful to look at Americas project ACEs via Resilience & to reflect on what needs to happen over here. " • ‘Excellent chance to share ideas and meet other emotion coaches.’ • ‘I really enjoyed the content – particularly the first day and networking with Parent Family Support Workers locally’.
MACE workshop (two half days,27 June and 17 July) led by Sam Sidney and Neil Harris
Feedback on golden nuggets: • ‘ACEs - this updated my knowledge’
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• ‘As SENCo I brought the ideas from the training I completed through EHCAP to school during an in service training session. I believe one of the most powerful aspects of learning was around the Adverse Childhood Experiences. Learning about ACEs and linking this to the positive message of neuro plasticity has been profound. Months after the training a teacher of a child who has experienced immense adversity resulting in challenging behaviour at school stated “I know why he behaves as he does and I will always have his back”. Lucy Silk, SENCo and Volunteer Coach, E-learning Team • I have also taught a number of children, staff and parents the metaphor of the hand model. Children as young as 8 years old have been able to use this analogy to describe their inner world. • ‘Brilliantly presented & informative. Great introduction to Emotion coaching’
• ‘Interesting information presented in an understandable way’ • ‘Consolidating understanding of hand model and integrating with concepts of emotion coaching’. • ‘Watching demonstrations about different parenting styles and watching how emotion coaching can have different outcomes’.
1.4 Working with behaviour support teams Sam Sidney (Ed Psych and Lead Trainer) completed a behaviour support meeting with Dunster and Dulverton on Wednesday 13 November 2019. She discussed embedding MACE. Positives were discussed and both reflected times Emotion Coaching had been successful especially for the younger years. Sam shared details of the Mental Health Toolkit, Somerset Wellbeing Framework and Parent Toolkit. She also talked about working with reception staff supporting them to build emotion literacy in parents and carers of children who fail the Personal Social and Emotional Development part of Global Levels of Development (GLOD). She encouraged mindful activities for children with emotional or behavioural difficulties and asked staff to embed Emotion Coaching as a standard item within staff meetings, federation and MAT meetings. Old Cleeve wanted a more personalised approach and Sam visited to establish what was working and where gaps were and to personalise Emotion Coaching training for them. The intended follow up both at Old Cleeve and with Dunster and Dulverton had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Each of the hub schools have been asked (June 2020) to complete a modified data collection form but everyone recognises that the pandemic remains the priority and it may not be possible to access the data at the moment. The data that we have had suggests that schools feel supported to include mindful activities within their behaviour management programme but they have not embedded Emotion Coaching and ACE awareness in their staff /federation or
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MAT meetings as yet. They are aware of the Mental Health Toolkit, Parent Toolkit and Somerset Wellbeing Framework and they are beginning to create their own Emotion Coaching and ACE awareness resources. ‘The Emotion Coaching workshops and resources have been inspirational. Emotion Coaching is used very well among teaching assistants, with individual children and with small groups of children. I as the SENCO am still struggling to get the Emotion Coaching model used as a behaviour management tool used in all classrooms. We still need to work on Emotion Coaching alongside classroom codes and consequences’. Dulverton Junior and All Saints
1.5 Supervision for School based staff This was a very popular addition to our 2018 project and we offered it broadly across school settings in West Somerset following our initial planning meeting in February 2019. Four additional sessions of staff supervision with Jane Andrews at Timberscombe were offered following feedback after INSET training. Supervision was offered to Danesfield, West Somerset College, Dulverton Schools as well as Early Years Settings. Sessions are ongoing in Dulverton having been cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.
1.6 Coaching Liz Peacock provided coaching in the 3 hub settings and liaised with all the staff who had previously trained as facilitators of Tuning in to Kids Parent Groups. In Dulverton, Liz spent a whole day delivering activities around emotions and the hand model in every class from Reception to Year 6. She has responded to the coronavirus by offering On Line Tuning in to Kids for staff at the three hub schools.
Example Feedback from Dunster: Liz Peacock spent two days with us and our partner school, Timberscombe. She ran workshops alongside class teachers which enabled us to bring the children in on the hand model. The methods she used were fantastic and child friendly. The students and adults in school really benefitted from these sessions in terms of understanding the hand model and how things link together. Liz also ran an after school session which was attended by all teaching staff, most support staff, office staff and preschool staff from Dunster and Timberscombe too.’
Liz Kane provided 4 half days of coaching at St Michael’s First School with a parent presentation including hand model, 5 steps emotion coaching and mindfulness.
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‘Wellness coaching with parent spontaneously when parent arrived in a very distressed state once regulated. Able to then discuss child and hand model and refer for professionals meeting’. Early Years ‘Wellness coaching 1:1 parent. Discussing hand model, emotion coaching. Parent’s lid was up due to identified developmental issues identified with son. Progress identified with son through observation’. Early Years 1.7 Early Years Liz Kane distributed copies of Facts4Life ‘This is Fin and Bear’ to 13 Early Years settings across West Somerset using the opportunity to connect and discuss Emotion Coaching as well as distribute the Mindful Me Poster and train on The Hand Model. Liz also offered twilight sessions with teachers embedding hand model, emotion coaching and practical classroom mindful activities. Embedding basics has been crucial for staff to feel confident and understand.
1.8 Working Together with Health and Care Colleagues – part funded by EHCAP Ltd The gaps identified at the multiagency meetings hosted by Dr Kelsey Boddington, Exmoor Medical Centre as part of the West Somerset Primary Care Network Vision for Women, Children & Younger People were :
• behaviour support for families and children, • bereavement support for children and • support for children and families where a child has mental health difficulties including ADHD. In response to these gaps, Dr Sarah Temple met with GPs in both Bampton and Dulverton, attended a safeguarding meeting at Exmoor Medical Centre (which was also attended by Carly Hatch (Head Teacher)) and met with the SENCo and Head of Early Years in Dulverton. Separately, Sarah met with local Community Paediatrician Dr Kate McCann and discussed the dramatic doubling of referrals to Community Paediatrics over the last 5 years. These referrals are from GPs and from school based staff often requesting Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessment on the basis of emotional and behavioural difficulties. The children and their families often have unaddressed experienced intergenerational adversity. There is often confusion about how adversity links with emotional and mental health outcomes and it’s important to emphasise that the science tells us that poor empathy, inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are the result of a complex interplay between environment , relationships and genetics. This is summarized by Jack Shonkoff in his 2018 lecture and succinctly described in the 15th Working Paper recently published through Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University and titled ‘Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body- Early Childhood Experience and Lifelong Health are Deeply Intertwined’. The science tells us that children with neurodiversity can thrive in a nurturing emotion coaching family environment but also that their neurodevelopment can be highly vulnerable to the sort of chronic inflammation that occurs with toxic stress. In other words these children need significantly more support to help improve outcomes, as do their parents and carers.
Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body, National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (USA) Page 8
A collaborative project with the Exmoor Medical Centre was initiated in which
• parents/ carers of children with developing social communication difficulties in the Early Years setting were offered a half hour appointment with Dr Temple in the Medical Centre as part of a school readiness programme.
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• Parents/ carers of children with mental health difficulties below the current CAMHS threshold were offered an appointment with Dr Temple in the Medical Centre either by referral from the Head Teacher – Carly Hatch or Dr Boddington • Parents/ carers of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties below the threshold for community paediatric input were offered an appointment with Dr Temple in the Medical Centre either by referral from the Head Teacher- Carly Hatch- or Dr Boddington.
In these appointments Dr Temple worked exclusively with the adult care givers developing their adult emotion literacy, emotion intelligence and executive function using the ©EHCAP Two Step Family Wellness Programme. This form can be viewed online at www.emotioncoaching.co.uk . This piece of work was significantly impacted by the schools closing and the coronavirus pandemic. However the key learning from this early stage of the project is that a high percentage of the parents and carers who met with Sarah had mental health difficulties and emotion literacy difficulties of their own that school staff were not fully aware of. As a result of this observation this question was added to the end of year data collection form : ‘We are finding that adult care givers of children with social communication difficulties (poor empathy, inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, difficulty sharing) often have emotion literacy and mental health difficulties themselves. Do you feel staff in your setting are comfortable talking with parents and carers about their emotion literacy and mental health?’
‘ACEs, Dan Siegel and John Gottman and trauma are discussed in most of my child protection conferences’ Somerset Social Worker
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1.9 ‘Why are we waiting’ Project Having watched the Resilience Documentary many times Elspeth and Sarah wanted to create a ‘ Why are we Waiting’ activity for Primary School children similar to the Miss Kendra’s List Programme described in the movie. This project began in 2018 and had to overcome many unexpected hurdles before completion at Dunster First School in 2019. Elspeth Penny from 2BU Productions completed the ‘Why are we waiting’ creative project and her report is attached within the appendix. Feedback from Dunster ‘The children in Year 1 enjoyed the workshop. After chatting to them, and to Angela their teacher, I can give the following feedback. They really loved the art activities- it would be lovely to have more time for this and less time listening. The circle time/ name sharing games could be quicker and snappier to hold their attention and you are right that the puppet was a bit of a distraction. They just wanted to cuddle it! Maybe the puppet could put in an appearance with you but not be passed around, and the children could have a chance to hold it after the art activities as a 'cool down' activity? I think you have already picked up on most of this Elspeth. But I want to say that, looking at the photos of the children's work... WOW! They did such a great job and you can really see the feelings and their thought processes coming through in their images.’
1.10 Sixth Formers Neil Harris completed two wellness workshops with sixth formers in West Somerset College but the workshops were not well attended. This was disappointing in that we had had fantastic engagement with sixth formers in Sherborne in 2018. There was a change of head teacher during the school year which impacted on our input but much of the difficulty was almost certainly caused by the isolated location of the College and the difficulty the team had building effective relationships.
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2.0 Working with Parents and Families 2.1 Tuning in to Kids Tuning in to Kids® is a suite of parenting programs that focus on the emotional connection between parents/carers and their children, from pre-schoolers to teens. The evidence-based programs have proven success in improving parenting, parent-child relationships and children’s emotional competence and behaviour. The programme developers- Ann Harley and Sophie Havighurst work in the Mindful Centre, Melbourne University, Australia and EHCAP has worked collaboratively with them since mid 2014 when Dr Sarah Temple trained in London and started running Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens parent support groups.
EHCAP hosted Tuning in to Teens (TINT) Facilitator training led by Associate Professor Sophie Havighurst in Bridgwater College in November 2019. The WSOA funded 7 places for staff working in school settings across West Somerset. All seven staff have been given the opportunity to join the EHCAP Learning Community and access to free coaching supporting them leading their first group. Staff who attended from West Somerset College have also received support from the SHARE team (who have all trained with Sophie). Feedback from one of the West Somerset Middle Schools Tuning in to Teens groups: ‘I use elements of the course every day! I would say, for me, that the two main things I learnt and probably think about and still use now are: • being aware of the non verbal signs they use if they want to talk (sighing, etc), especially effective with my 17 year old. When he does this, I acknowledge, and it has always
17 mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk Alpiri™ resulted in him talking to me about the issue worrying him and together we manage to work things out. • The second thing was the explanation about what happens to the brain when a ‘meltdown’ occurs and how all reasoning capabilities disconnect. I think about this every time my daughter has a melt down, but especially what to and not to say at that time. It has certainly helped to reduce inflaming the situation and reducing the time it takes her to calm down. We then discuss the issue once she has calmed down, which we both find helpful’. Middle School setting, West Somerset ‘It is still never 100% harmony in our household, but attending the course was definitely beneficial to myself and my family. I met lovely people from all backgrounds, who were having similar problems as myself. This, in itself, was reassuring that it wasn’t just me and that I was a bad parent. It was great to hear at the beginning of each session how everyone's week had been and how each had practiced what we had learnt at the previous session, whether it ended up with a good or bad result!! We all learnt from each others experiences and each week it appeared that everyone’s experiences improved. I would recommend any parents who have concerns about communications with their teenagers to attend the course’. Middle School setting, West Somerset ‘Parents and carers grasp the concept from week one and they realise the answers to their questions/worries are worked through the process of the course including role play. This gives parents the confidence to try out the TINT coaching at home knowing that we can discuss the successes and any issues the following week. Parents engage really well and share problems and understand that they are not alone’ . Andrew Rose, Parent Family Support Advisor, West Somerset College ‘Tuning into Teens has been easily sold to parents and well received’. Andrew Rose, Parent Family Support Advisor, West Somerset College ‘TINT is providing the autonomy for parents to support their teenagers through difficult times. It’s been excellent delivering TINT so far’ Andrew Rose, Parent Family Support Advisor, West Somerset College The Tuning in to Kids team have now released an online parent portal which is accessed with an annual subscription of approximately £60. Parent Family Support Advisors and Family Support Workers who purchase this subscription will be able to show the video clips and resources when working with families. ‘I work in South Somerset as a full time ELSA. Before lock down (coronavirus) I managed to run my first two TINT courses for parents. All of them agreed it was a great course. I have kept in phone contact with them over lock down and all have said how much difference Emotion Coaching has made to them and their family situation, and how much harder they feel lock down would have been if they had not done the course. They all use a little bit of mindfulness
18 mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk Alpiri™ now and then too, as they loved the relaxation meditation from the course. I have also shared the EHCAP learning link for parents and several parents of ELSA children have said they are doing it.’ ‘The last TINT I (Andy Leafe, PFSA with MACE and TINT training) ran before lock down we worked with a group of 32 parents in a large classroom and averaging 29 a week attending’ ‘I have really enjoyed facilitating the courses. I had managed to complete one, and was over half way through the second when lock down began. I have seen the difference in the parents that attended, they are more confident and feel less alone. They have all said it makes a huge difference at home. Pre lock down, the children of the first group and also 1 or 2 from the second group actually told me that they are glad/happy/pleased mummy did some learning with Mrs V as they can talk about things better at home now, or that there are less arguments, things are calmer ... and can I make sure I give mum homework every week!!!’ Denny Verlander attended TINT training November 2019
There is more detailed feedback from Tuning in to Teens in the Appendix paragraph 5.4
2.2 Mindful Emotion Coaching E-learning Portal for Parents ‘The skills and knowledge I have gained through the Mindful Emotion Coaching training both online and in person has been instrumental in changing my relationship with my children especially my daughter. Learning how to notice my own feelings has enabled me to respond in a more appropriate way to the outbursts of an adolescent. I am learning when my ‘lid is wobbly’ and take steps to prevent a full ‘flipped lid’ situation. I can’t pretend we have a perfectly harmonious existence as we are all still human, however, our family is more united than ever before. I attribute this change entirely due to this training. Thank you for the moments of calm within this busy family’. Somerset Parent
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The development of the Mindful Emotion Coaching elearning portal was funded in 2017 by Somerset Partnership Trust through the Schools Health And Resilience (SHARE) Project and has gone from strength to strength this year with over 2000 learners from across the world signed up and really fantastic feedback. Although designed for parents, in fact both parents and staff have engaged either as a first experience of Mindful Emotion Coaching or as a refresher. The course contains most of the MACE materials with an introduction to ACEs using the positive, toxic, tolerable stress model. The direct web link is www.parentsupportmatters.co.uk Examples of Feedback: 100% of Somerset Parents, Carers and Professionals score this course at 8/10 or more and 91% at 9/10 or more. ‘Personally, I have really enjoyed my learning experience within your course. It has been delivered in an interesting manner with people who are specialist in these areas giving first hand knowledge and experience and sharing it with us. You have also given us the opportunity to further educate ourselves and research areas of interest with the additional websites’. ‘I liked how this started with the importance of regulating out own emotions before we can begin to connect with a child and support them through their own emotions. The Hand Model was an easy and effective way to show what happens when we ‘flip our lid’ and I’m sure I will use this with children in my setting. I also liked the background on attachment theory’. ‘This course was fantastic. A good mix of reading and watching. I learnt a lot and I feel I will be a better teacher and tutor now’. ‘I found the course to be very informative, especially the video clips from the specialists. Immediately, I can see how this will improve my support to the children and, I look forward to implementing immediately...especially as some children return to school next week’. ‘The training has been really useful to understand the key principles of emotion coaching. As a school we are using the emotion coaching approach so we are working consistently together. Thanks’ ‘I already have shared your link with my work colleagues! This course was really insightful and has made me so much more aware of how I interact emotionally with others around me, I have some work to do!’ ‘Clear and easy to follow and understand resource, that gives lots of helpful information. Going forward I feel it has given me a new way to approach situations. The downloads and videos will be great refreashers and guidance!’ ‘It was informative which lots of extra links if you wish to carry on reading research. Had a good amount of slides and graphics , which kept the interest’
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‘Varied, accessible resources. An approach based on science, self awareness and the need to address our own viewpoints/issues’
The last page of the e-learning invites learners to answer some ‘grizzly questions’ put forward by PFSAs in Somerset for example – "'Do you feel that children should be taught more science based information (neuroscience) about their brains to support the understanding of their emotions?' -here is a selection of answers (more are in the appendix: ‘As a teacher and SENCo it concerns me that neuroscience is not included in the curriculum. Most schools do not see it as an area of importance, as they are engaged in other forms data collection. My role has allowed me to deliver assemblies and work with small groups of students, delivering mindful activities and demonstrating the hand model. I believe that neuroscience should be treated as a core subject. I have seen the positive impact of adopting the Emotion coaching approach and the use of TINT in my intervention groups and with parents/staff. In my opinion, neuroscience and should be at the heart of any school curriculum and a module in teacher training.’
‘I feel it is important for children to understand the science about how their brains work. This allows them to be more open to receive help from adults ,who may use certain terminology related to naming emotions or functions of their brain, to help them manage their emotions. Scientific vocabulary they are familiar with, which would help them to be more open to receiving support. ‘Yes I believe children should be taught more about their brains to support the understanding of their emotions. The video in the last clip is a perfect example :). I think it would not only help them understand themselves, but also to have more empathy and awareness of others at school who may have some neurological differences. I worked in an SEN school and now work in a mainstream school. To be honest, I was skeptical about how mainstream might approach this type of support, but I feel my colleagues, especially those working with the SEN students, do support children emotionally. It's difficult in larger classes, I appreciate that but we can and should always strive to increase awareness and support in schools in my opinion. Even if just during tutor time or as a warm up activity.’ ‘As a secondary school Additional Support for Learning Teacher, I am particularly focussed on building resilience in young people, helping them to develop a positive, growth mindset. I certainly see how Emotion Coaching is a useful tool in helping to do this." ‘I think children should be taught at an age approriate level what is happening in their brains, may be through a circle time activity. We make time in school to support children with their
21 mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk Alpiri™ emotional development as without that they struggle to focus on the academics. Well being and positive emtional health is must come first’ "I think that children would really benefit from learning the science of their emotions. It would help them to understand their feelings and learn to control them and not be so scared of them.’ ‘With so much going on in the world at the moment, children need to be taught how to express their emotions and talk about them without being judged’
2.3 Family Wellness Programme EHCAP opened up free online access to The Two Step Family Wellness Programme during the coronavirus pandemic and the web address is www.emotioncoaching.co.uk . The copyright for this programme is held by EHCAP.
3.0 Networking and supporting professionals 3.1 Learning Community EHCAP’s Learning Community was set up in 2018 in response to a need for peer to peer education and support for parents and professionals. The sign up form at www.alpiri.co.uk includes detail about copyright and intellectual property as well as consent to share learner contact details and be part of a Whats App group. In 2019 EHCAP introduced a sign up fee of £15. Once signed up learners are able to access EHCAP powerpoints and training materials. One of the groups that I am delighted to have kept in contact with through this community is the group of ELSAs – Emotion Literacy Support Assistants – who were introduced to Mindful Emotion Coaching through a collaborative partnership between Bath Spa University, EHCAP and Support Services for Education (SSE) in 2016. Liz Peacock is now working with EHCAP as a coach on the e-learning portal, Mary Quinn trained as a Mindful Emotion Coaching Facilitator in 2018, Denny Verlander and Chris Richards continue to work as ELSAs in South Somerset, Clarissa Dams is now a Parent Family Support Advisor. All have trained in TINT and actively run parent groups. EHCAP’s collaboration with SSE continued in 2019. Kayleigh Parrt was no longer available but was replaced by Sam Sidney who has a particular passion for Mindful Emotion Coaching as a Universal Language and has networked very effectively with Educational Psychologists across Somerset, a number of whom have now signed up to the learning community. Over 100 people from across the UK, Canada, Kenya and Australia are signed up to the Whats App group. Contracted support for the SHARE team completed end May 2020 but EHCAP is providing ongoing access to the Learning Community for John Grundy. Shane Dangar joined us in 2015 and is now EHCAP’s Young People and Neurodiversity’ lead.
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‘Being part of such a wide reaching community is so exciting and rewarding. I believe that individuals within communities can make this world a more compassionate one. The sharing of good practice is key to this for schools and families. It creates such a positive ripple effect. I feel blessed to be a member of the EHCAP community’. Lucy Silk, SENCo and Volunteer Coach, E- learning Team ‘Without a doubt it was EHCAP that introduced me to both Emotion Coaching and ACEs. I use The Hand Model and discuss emotion coaching in my everyday practice’ Dr Kate McCann, Community Paediatrician, Taunton ‘It is obvious when I am working with children and young people who have learned the basics of emotion coaching at school and when starting from scratch. In a recent project with Year 7s and 8s about half had learnt the hand model at primary school. It made such a difference’. Lucy Beney, Counsellor and EHCAP Trainer ‘The Whats App group is fab for resources, help and opinions, widening knowledge, helping with strategies and encouraging the emotional wellbeing of both adults and children’ Denny Verlander South Somerset ELSA ‘ During lockdown I ( Andy Leafe (PFSA trained in MACE and TINT)) teamed up with Emma Bartlett (ELSA who has co-facilitated both Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens groups as well as completing EHCAP e-learning) and using the school minibus we have been undertaking home visits, doing a lot of Emotion Coaching on doorsteps and giving out resources including mindful crafts.’ ‘I was involved in the Neurodevelopment Pathways coproduction event on the 8th June 2020, Autistic Spectrum Disorder /Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder pathway workshop where I facilitated a group discussion in response to the SEND Ofsted at County. What is very apparent is that the Emotion Coaching work and the TINT/TIK was highly regarded by all the professionals’. Andy Leafe, Parent Family Support Advisor, Street, Somerset
‘I am very keen to support the impact of Emotion Coaching tools, ACE awareness and Tuning in to Kids. Professionally its made such a big impact on how I and many colleagues think, assess and deliver.’ Karen Leafe, Head of Wellbeing Services, Young Somerset
‘At the end of 2019, I was invited to provide emotional and mental health support for a pilot project, using dance to improve the wellbeing of young teenage girls in Years 7 and 8. The project took place at a large secondary academy school, with an intake from both Dorset and Somerset. The project was funded by Children in Need. Early on, I introduced the concept of emotion coaching and used the hand model to explain emotional regulation. I was delighted to discover that in the group of twelve students , around half had already been introduced to the
23 mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk Alpiri™ concept of emotion coaching and the hand model while in primary school. Some were able to explain very eloquently how a person’s ‘;id flips’ and discuss different ways of regulating emotion. It demonstrated very clearly to me the benefits of introducing emotioncoaching and the related skills to children and parents at primary level.’ Lucy Beney, Counsellor
4.0 Social Media EHCAP continues to support the work of JoJo Pepper who has put together an extremely successful Facebook Page for Parents – Mindful Emotion Coaching for Parents. There are nearly 1000 parents now signed up to this closed group. Twitter feeds from EHCAP @alpiricoaching and SHARE @somparSHARE
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5.0 APPENDIX
5.1 The Somerset Emotion Coaching Project History 5.2 Why are we Waiting – Elspeth Penny 5.3 Grizzly Question responses from the e-learning portal 5.5 More detailed feedback from Tuning in to Teens Groups in West Somerset
The Somerset Emotion Coaching Project History
In January 2015 Bath Spa University and EHCAP Ltd were commissioned by Public Health, Somerset County Council to deliver a programme of Emotion Coaching training to the children and young people’s workforce across the five districts of Somerset. The training was based on Bath Spa’s Attachment Aware Schools programme, the Tuning in to Kids programme from Melbourne University, Australia, research on Emotion Coaching by Dr John Gottman and colleagues, research on mindfulness, research on neuroscience by Dr Dan Siegel and research by Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. In 2018 research by Dr David Eagleman was added to the training. The project formed part of the Somerset Health and Wellbeing in Learning Programme. The project took heed of the Department of Health’s Report ‘Future in mind’ (DoH, 2015) which highlights the need to facilitate greater access and standards for CAMHS services, promote positive mental health and wellbeing for children and young people, greater system co- ordination and a significant improvement in meeting the mental health needs of children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds. It responded to the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group report (2015) which emphasizes the role of mindfulness in tackling the ‘mental health crisis’ and the promotion of its use in education. Finally, it helps to address the concern about emotional health and wellbeing highlighted by the 2014 Somerset Children and Young People Survey (SCYPS). The work resonates with the report by Public Health England (2014) which showed that: •Pupils with better health and wellbeing are likely to achieve better academically •Effective social and emotional competencies are associated with greater health and wellbeing, and better achievement •The culture, ethos and environment of a school influences the health and wellbeing of pupils and their readiness to learn
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KEY AIMS The key aims of the project have been to: •increase understanding of emotional health and wellbeing •enhance skills in supporting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing
•facilitate the referral process for children and young people •and improve access to services The project has entailed working with a network of practitioners to: •promote the use of Emotion Coaching techniques by community groups in their everyday practice with children and young people •provide a framework for helping practitioners to manage their own emotional self- regulation •integrate mindfulness into practice
•support children and young people’s capacity for pro-social behaviour and emotional self-regulation •build on and strengthen current positive practices and partnerships that contribute to and promote community networks and collaborative work through a shared framework •promote use of the Somerset Mental Health Toolkit •develop a county-wide sustainable network that reflects how the different services are working together to create a joined up Approach in supporting children and young people’s emotional health. In the first year (2015) 136 champions from a range of organisations within the children and young people’s workforce in Somerset were trained in Emotion Coaching. At least 60% of champions trained were from schools or colleges. Other organisations included Social Care, Early Help (known as Getset in Somerset), Community and Youth Services, CAMHS, Social Housing, Health and the Police. Mixed methods were used to identify impact (psychometric and self-report questionnaires, focus groups and case studies). All findings were statistically significant. An independent evaluation was also undertaken with a narrative Approach. Details of methodology can be found in The Somerset Emotion Coaching Project 2015 full report and executive summary.
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Further evidence of impact can be seen in the numerous case studies that were compiled by the champions and are available to read within the 2015-16 full report. Case studies illustrate how Emotion Coaching can support early signs of emotional and mental health difficulties which may manifest as challenging behaviour. It is essentially an empathic and dialogic process which enables children to feel appreciated, to explore their feelings and relationships, to reflect with others and to confront their core emotions such as anger, fear and anxiety, rather than projecting them through challenging behaviour (Rose, 2016). A key aspect of Emotion Coaching is its mindful nature and the way in which it operates as an ‘in the moment’ strategy. An integral part of the training programme incorporated the practice of mindfulness and the importance of helping children and young people to ‘pause’ during emotional moments to support self-regulation. The narrative provided by Emotion Coaching creates a communicative context for a child’s emotional experiences to be explicitly and meaningfully processed within a relational dyad and resonates with Siegel’s work on interpersonal neurobiology and his links to work on mindfulness (Siegel, 2012). Siegel’s ‘Hand Model of the brain’ is a particularly useful model that continues to be used as a core part of the training programme to support understanding of how the ‘thinking brain’ can become separated from the ‘emotional brain’. Regular practicing of ‘being mindful’ increases activity in the pre frontal cortex (thinking area) and decreases activity in the limbic system (emotion area) helping the more rational parts of the brain to moderate emotional impulses. Emotion Coaching facilitates practitioners and parents to develop skills in empathy and relational interactions. A further 60 staff were trained in 2016 with an emphasis this time on Early Years Practitioners. Champions who trained in 2015 were further supported in cascading Mindful Emotion Coaching and embedding their learning by a series of network meetings both local and county wide. The Somerset Educational Psychology Team joined this phase of the project and Senior Educational Psychologist Kayleigh Partt developed an Emotion Coaching module to sit alongside ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) Training. The 2016-17 executive summary and full report demonstrate the detail of the impact of the 2016-17 training and provide a series of case studies from staff cascading their learning. In 2017 the commissioners requested a different approach with a more intense training for a smaller group of 14 facilitators with the intention of building sustainability into the Emotion Coaching offer moving forward. Details of the training and outcomes can be found in the 2017 Somerset Emotion Coaching Report. Facilitators were from a variety of back grounds including schools (one head teacher, one Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), two Emotional Literacy Support Advisors (ELSAs) and five Parent Family Support Advisors (PFSAs)) from a mix of secondary, primary and Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) settings, health visiting team, social care, third sector youth services. We were also asked to move away from qualitative data collection and focus on whole school quantitative data as a measure of whether a cultural shift had taken place in the schools.
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In 2018 the project was adapted to reach staff with direct whole class teaching and Senior Leadership Team responsibilities, rather than staff with one to one roles with families and children. This adaptation was informed by our commissioners in response to the data collection from 2017 and feedback from immersion school staff in line with their developing a whole school approach.
In 2018 we trained a total of 117 people from across services for children and young people targeting SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Coordinators), Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and staff with direct teaching responsibilities in primary and middle school settings. The training to cascade Mindful Emotion Coaching was adapted from the 2017 one day introduction to include additional neuroscience based on David Eagleman’s work on Ingroups and Outgroups.. This was felt to be appropriate because of the increased numbers of SENCos in the cohort. In addition learners were expected to start cascading immediately after the first workshop (with access to video coaching support) and to feed back how they were using The Hand Model and Dr John Gottman’s Emotion Coaching at the second workshop. We provided in depth support to two schools- Dunster First School and Milborne Port Primary School. In response to feedback about the difficulty of holding an attachment aware mindset during times of acute stress we tested introducing data about Adverse Childhood Experience and health outcomes to our Mindful Emotion Coaching training slides - re naming them Mindful Emotion Coaching and ACE awareness or MACE. To embed learning about the neuroscience of In groups and Outgroups we invited staff to self score a modified ACE questionnaire We also screened the Resilience documentary at each MACE training session. Feedback was mixed initially with some feeling very strongly that the ACE data was helpful and others feeling equally strongly that it was not. This feedback has led to us putting more emphasis on the positive, tolerable, toxic stress model proposed by The Centre on the Developing Child. Feedback from learners led to a simplification of online resources which are now accessed through a single portal www.mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk .
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5.2 Final report on The Why are we waiting Project- January - 19 September 2019 Elspeth Penny of 2BU Productions
This is a report about the innovative intervention work I was commissioned to carry out by Dr Sarah Temple. The intervention is a psycho educational tool for young children age 5-8, where we are working towards breaking down intergenerational cycles of abuse and neglect. We wish to provide a paradigm shift from identify and fix to breaking down cycles of adversity through storytelling and inclusion. We are clear that in no uncertain terms that it’s not about unearthing problems, disclosure. The idea is to develop a workshop which can then be cascaded out to many schools and used yearly by each class, to reinforce ideas and remind children of the key points.
Something about me – I run a company called 2BU Productions https://2buproductions.org, and have been invited to bring creativity into emotion coaching and into Sarah Temple’s work – making the neuroscience more accessible. 2BU are a creative consultancy developing and delivering ideas to inspire, engage, inform, to entertain and to improve communications and health, headed by myself, Elspeth Penny, a Writer and Arts&Health Practitioner. We specialise in: • writing, directing, filming or performance services • arts and health projects
The structure of our work around The Ava Pictures has been as follows: • Initial planning and ideas meeting with Dr Sarah Temple. Sarah and I carefully selected a schools advisor. A clear and talented candidate, Louise Collins, reception teacher at Dunster First School came forward. The initial idea was to develop a ‘Why are we waiting’ exercise similar to the Miss Kendra’s list idea in the documentary Resilience.
• Several schools were considered as possibilities for testing the workshop, and head teachers consulted. Three schools expressed interest in piloting the workshops - St Michael’s in Williton; Milborne Port in South Somerset and Dunster in West Somerset. We chose Dunster because of the ease of collaboration with Louise Collins. • I had safe-guarding training and got my certificate. I also was invited onto, and attended, a Spring School residential on storytelling and young people’s mental health, run by Arts and Health South West.
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• I worked with Louise Collins’ reception class (age 4/5) at Dunster Primary school in February 2019. I ran a workshop for an hour and a half and discussed the workshop afterwards with her. • Sarah, Louise and I all became more concerned about the copyright issues using ideas directly from the Miss Kendra model. We agreed that the best way to take the project forward was to use my own experience of working with children, drama and creative writing, to devise a new and original approach. • I spent a day devising this new approach, drawing on recent workshops I’d run with three groups of a puppeteer, a dancer and looking at the breath – this is a blog post about it: https://lifeofbreath.org/2019/07/catch-your-breath-puppetry-dance-and-creative-writing • I reintroduced the workshop at Dunster school on 18/09/19, to the same group of children now 6 months older, with a different class teacher, Angela Hall. Throughout the process I have been in consultation with Louise Collins and Dr Sarah Temple. I have also worked with Year 1 teacher Angela Hall and have had a couple of professional support sessions with Parent & Family Support Adviser, Ham Hill Primary Schools, Karen Leafe.
A summary of the workshop. The Ava Pictures workshop combines simple but pertinent exercises from drama, puppetry, mindfulness, creative writing and dance along with the Seigel hand model of the brain, and discussion about the rights of children and “What helps best when you get upset about something”. It culminates in the children making a picture to their emotions/feelings and then sharing their work. I have written an extensive script of the workshop, in mind to provide training for teaching assistants or teachers, so that the The Ava Pictures could be run by others. I have also kept drama, movement and creative writing exercises as simple as possible so that someone untrained in running arts workshops would be able to run them.
How successful was the initiative? I am very pleased with the outcome. We managed to achieve a great deal in this first phase. The work created by the children was often surprising, showing fantastically imaginative, multi- layered use of the materials and shows intense engagement with the subject matter. For example, two of the children made pictures of a brain:
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Another example is… before the second workshop, I had been told that one boy in the class didn’t like new things much. He’d visited the class at lunch hour with a teaching assistant as I was setting up, and picked up some of the materials, saying he liked the sparkly things. Once we started, he did refuse to join in on some of the warm up exercises and his teacher, Angela Hall, needed to take him out of the circle at one point. However, when he came to creating his picture, I noted that he got very deeply involved, was very expressive in his use of turmeric and soil ink, making a hole in the image he made. He also spent some time unravelling a whole reel of Sellotape, quite angrily I felt, and scrunching it all up. At one point the Sellotape became part of the picture, but then he removed it before showing his image. “I like it because it’s so muddy’ he said. Class 1 teacher, Angela Hall, said that generally the workshop worked extremely well into some of the work she had already been doing with the children using the Siegal hand model.
The children came up with some wonderful words, in the preparation exercises I ran, before making their pictures. Eg to the question “If you could see your breath what would it look like?” some of the answers were “Steam”, “hot air”, “nothing”, “cloudy”, “candyfloss”, “see through”, “My dad says my breath is like strawberry.” However, when it came to asking the children to make their picture, I needed to give them a simpler instruction. Asking them to make a picture to their breath didn’t work for this age. I know it works for children around 8 years old, but these children needed something simpler as an instruction. Angela suggested that I just say, ‘Make a picture to show how you’re feeling’, which was much stronger.
One girl made a picture about ‘Happiness” Another said that her image was her and her family at a disco, and the money was there ‘so we can pretend to be rich’. She mentioned the eye and why it appeared in her picture, but I missed the significance of it. I was pleased that the class remembered some of the things we’d done last time – some of them said before we started that they remembered it all! Their knowledge of the hand model was much more developed in the second workshop, which made that section easier, but it was pleasing to see how some of the learning is getting embedded.
Learnings School schedules and unexpected events within a school mean that this kind of pilot work can take a long time to complete.
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I also learned that it is important to leave much more time for the children to talk about their pictures. They are all keen to show their creations and the feelings or ideas which are behind them. The children really needed more room to do some of the exercises – particularly the movement ones. I felt – in my second Dunster workshop - that I was asking them to think and talk about emotions, but we were not allowing their bodies to move because the space was so cramped – everyone had to be quite stationary and it meant that there was a bit of restlessness and that they were unable to listen. In future I will request that we are able to use a bigger space/the school hall for at least this part. I introduced a floppy dog puppet called Ava – the children loved it, though they all wanted to cuddle him. I’d suggest that extra time is provided for this, or the puppet comes out and goes away quite swiftly, as it was a bit of a distraction. I’m not sure how much the puppet added to the workshop, but it could perhaps be worked in more effectively. The class 1 children were very good at coming up with things (other than the breath) that can help at times when you get upset. Suggestions were: cuddles, play with someone, high fives, play with lego, arts and crafts, tickling, being kind to each other, stroking dog’s bellies. They didn’t find it so easy to suggest things ‘that shouldn’t happen”, and tended to give answers such as ‘We shouldn’t be unkind’ or ‘We should listen to mum and dad.’ They found it hard to think in terms of what others shouldn’t do to them, and only about how they could be good boys and girls. The wording around this part of the workshop needs working on still, it’s the hardest section. What next? We need a further period to hone this workshop, and adapt it for different ages. I have learned that to pitch it to specific ages needs different language and approach. For example one child in the Year 1 class said that he didn’t know what ‘emotion’ meant. Another child said that what I was doing wasn’t a ‘workshop’, but rather a lesson in class; his idea of workshop was probably something his parents kept their tools in. Also some exercises are only appropriate for older, age 7/8/9, and the older children would find some of the more elementary exercises dull.
Elspeth Penny 2BU Productions
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5.3 Grizzly Question responses from the e-learning portal ‘Do you feel that children should be taught more science based information (neuroscience) about their brains to support the understanding of their emotions?' "Yes, children should definitely be taught about the science of their brains as it will help them to understand the reasons for some of their emotions and reactions to situations. ‘ "Yes, I do feel that children should be taught more science based information (neuroscience) about their brains to support the understanding of their emotions. This shall not only help them if shall help us as parents coaches and mentors to understand and mend the though process
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‘Emotional coaching is seen now more frequently in school but I believe more time should be put aside to continue the great work going on. Although children are given strategies for regulating their emotions, I don't feel school actually delve into the science behind.’ ‘I think it would be great if children were taught more about how the brain works in schools as this could then help them to understand their emotions better’. ‘I think that children should be taught science based information about their brains at an age appropriate level. For some children they will find it interesting and helpful, where as for others they may not want to know a lot of information as they do not find this helpful. We currently do teach this in school and I feel it helps my Year 5/6 children’. ‘Yes, children should be taught more about the science of the brain. I have been working in an SEMH primary school where for the last 3 years we have built an EQ curriculum which is prioritised over the IQ curriculum. This is helping our young people to help themselves to self regulate and become ready to learn. I have recently just moved to our Outreach support team where I will be going into main stream schools to support children and staff - I am looking forward to seeing how many of these schools do teach EQ now’. ‘I think that definitely children should have more teaching about their brains and emotions. In my experience some children are being taught this but I strongly feel this would benefit all children and should be available to all. I also wish that mindfulness was practiced everyday in school.’ ‘I think children should definitely learn the science of their emotions and how their brains work. I believe it to be useful to understand that our emotions are completely normal and it's how our brains function, and learning the science of it helps to look at it from another perspective’ "Science based information is definitely a must for children as it helps them to understand the functions of the brain and be aware of themselves and also their emotions. I also believe when there is awareness, children would be able to manage their feelings and emotion better. However the knowledge has to be imparted in a simple and interesting way in order to grab their attention’. ‘I think it's so important for children to be able to talk about and understand their emotions from an early age and this could include talking about the "hand model" initially .There are definitely parts of this course which would be ideal at different points during their school life’. "Absolutely I think it is so important children and young people should learn about how and why the brain does it things it does. I think far too many children worry when they think of feel differently in any situation and they should be taught why.’
"I do think they should be taught the hand model from a young age to make it part of their usual vocabulary which can then be extended and explored as they grow’.
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‘Yes I do think children should be taught how their brains work as this gives them an understanding of their emotions and actions’. ‘Yes children should be taught more about their brains to help them with understanding their emotions. I think mental health awareness addresses this and I believe schools our increasing being able to offer more support to pupils as staff are becoming better trained and more aware of such issues’. ‘I feel that training like this will help to increase schools abilities to support pupils. By allowing children to feel comfortable talking about their feelings, then knowing how to deal with their emotions to close the lid.’ "I feel that this training has provided an useful insight into mental health and how to help children deal with their emotions.’ ‘I think they should be taught about how the brain works as this will give them a deeper insight to how to cope/deal with their emotions." ‘I think children should be taught about their brains so they can understand their emotions. I think more is being at school now to support children and nurture them’. "Yes I do think that children should be taught/ given information 'age' appropriate , on how their brain works and what they can do to help themselves in difficult day to day/life situations to manage and regulate their emotions’. ‘Yes I think that most schools are currently trying to build into the school day some sort of time for emotional support and development. eg circle time in infant classes." ‘Yes I do strongly feel that children should be taught more about their brains and its links to their emotions. I think we are providing enough in schools to be able to support children, but we do need continuous training to educate everyone including the children’. ‘Yes, I think it would really help children to have more knowledge and understanding about their brains and emotions. Understanding can provide tools for self care.’ "Age dependent really. Love the hand model and will definitely use this!’ ‘Yes I feel it helps children gain a deeper understanding of their feelings and emotions to learn the science behind it. Even from a young age, I believe children can develop an understanding’ "I do think children should be taught more science based information about their brains, they are sponges who absorb the information we give them and what could be more useful than the information we could teach them about their brains? the science behind it? the effect of negative emotions? The short term joy that is dopamine compared to the long term well being chemical that is oxytocin’. ‘More emotional support is needed in schools and support available for more children’
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."I think it certainly would be useful to be taught more science based information about their brains as it would help learners to develop their understanding of how everything connects. ‘I think schools could certainly do more to support children emotionally through taking more of a child centred approach in terms of looking through the lens from a child's point of view and displaying real empathy’. "I certainly do think it would be good for children to learn more about their brains as it would help them to see and understand how everything connects to their emotional and physical wellbeing and their learning’. ‘I think it would be good to teach children wellbeing and mindfulness To help them to understand their emotions, to help them to learn how to focus when they feel they might flip their lids. This course has taught me a lot about emotions and mindfulness so it would be so valuable to young impressionable children and their parents.’ ‘Yes I think children are to be taught science based information with regards to processing aaing their emotions so that they would have a deep and clear understanding on why they are feeling a certain way and in turn they would have control over their behavior’
‘According to me, Schools should be included science-based information about brain in their curriculum. To justify, Children can have the ability to know which part of the brain work when they feel happy, when they touch as well it can be certainly easy for them to control unusual emotions’. "Yes children should be taught more science based information about their brains. It would give them an insight into how their actions impact on themselves and others. And would help them to regulate their emotions.’ ‘Yes children should be taught more science based information about their brains. It would give them an insight into how their actions impact on themselves and others. And would help them to regulate their emotions.’ "Yes, I do think that children should be taught more about the science behind emotions and brain development. It would help them understand how emotions work and how they can manage them. They can also understand better the impact emotions and actions have on others and themselves.’ ‘I think it would be beneficial to children to understand why they are feeling a certain way and that it is completely normal and everyone experiences a variety of different emotions every day.’ ‘Yes. If children are taught neuroscience, they will learn valuable life skills that will enable them to help themselves to manage their emotions and may also help them to help their friends. As a teaching assistant for over 15 years, I feel more could be done to help children with their emotional development and learning. However, first the staff need to have the tools to help the
36 mindfulemotioncoaching.co.uk Alpiri™ children. I'm lucky, in that the staff at school do have and during this time of Covid-19 we are doing even more to be able to help the children, and each other’. "Yes as the more understanding a young person has about how they think and their emotions the better’ "I feel that pupils should learn more about the brain and how social and the emotional side of this works, I feel they may not be so lost or alone of what is happening to them’. ‘I feel some children may need more input than other regarding social and emotional. I cant talk for all schools but I think there is a responsibility to pick up this pupils who need extra input in theses areas. Yet again with some schools this may not be possible, but in an ideal world this should happen." ‘Schools are trying but are certainly not all on the same page, and workflow needs to be addressed and time given in order for these strategies to be ingrained and successful.’ ‘We have mindfulness sessions to support students at school, if students understand how their brain works then hopefully it will give them a better understanding about their emotions and how to manage them.’
5.4 More detailed feedback from Tuning in to Teens Groups in West Somerset 2019 (Minehead and Williton)
EHCAP and SHARE working together Q.1 What did you find most useful about this programme?
• Time spent with others, talking about relationships and how we can work together with all members of the family. Makes you stop and think! • Using Emotion Coaching with my work, as well as other adults & not being dismissive • Discussing with others the problems and realising you are not on your own • Sharing emotions/teddy cards, a great start to the meeting • Self-preservation stop & pause and how to deal with angry outbursts • Realising other parents have the same struggles (e.g special needs)
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• Helpful other parents, sharing our experiences, good tips • Great group and course leaders, mix of learning materials and styles was great • How to use the skills in everyday situations and meditations, plus links & videos. Absolutely fantastic but needs more please - this needs to be in PSHE! • Meeting other like-minded parents and people being honest and open and sharing their stories. Sympathy v empathy video.
• Listening to other parent’s stories and experiences. Being part of an open relaxed group • How to listen properly to my child before reacting and how to notice their emotions • That I'm not the only person needing support & emotional coaching • Being able to share experiences with other parents & new strategies • Learning new ways to approach things • Being able to share experience with other parents and feeling supported within the group
• The things I found most useful were being able to share experiences with other parents and feeling supported within the group.
Q.2 What did you find least useful about this programme?
• Trying to personalise situations to your circumstances e.g. friends between teens • A lot of it based around behaviour, not anxiety • Lack of attendance form others • The time slot - within the working week. Would prefer evenings really • I didn’t feel there was anything less useful, it would if been good to continue the course in more detail over a longer period.
Q.3 Would you have liked any other things to be addressed in the programme?
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• A well filled programme lots to take on; a follow up later in the year would be good • No. I thought all aspects including number of sessions to be spot on
• Maybe cover school refusal • Children should do this too!
Q.4 How hard or easy was it to understand the ideas of emotion coaching?
Very Hard Hard Neither hard nor easy Easy Very easy 1 3 11 2 Comments A great tutorial, everyone easy to talk to, you don’t feel judged Using the steps and looking at them regularly; this helped to embed the idea Needs practising Needs practise alongside other people Takes a while to get the hang of
I feel it was easy to understand the emotion training as it was delivered well and introduced over the programme
Q.5 How hard or easy was it to carry out the methods of emotion coaching?
Very Hard Hard Neither hard nor easy Easy Very easy 1 1 10 5 Comments Sometimes it’s really easy other times it’s hard to pick the moment In some situations it is easier than others Hard at times when you are feeling hurt by actions of a child At times really difficult to put into use but when it works its great
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At times easy but accepting that it doesn't have to be all the time only 30-40% of the time Difficult to stop myself going back to what I usually do Depends on situation/needs practising Children are getting used to the different methods & phrases Emotion training is quite straight forward when given the opportunity to do so.
Q.6 Were there changes that you noticed in your child(ren)or your family as a result of taking part in this programme? • Yes particularly the adults in the family and how you speak to them
• Yes, they started to notice their emotions and it helped them calm down
• Yes
• Break through with son after doing some mindfulness and validating emotions that were happening • As a family the programme has helped with all the relationships and dynamics in the household • Setting own goals • Yes better attitude between all members of the family • Yes definitely. Able to try it out and be more empathetic with both children • Yes. Once my son 'flipped his lid' I used the tactics to bring him down into a calm state of mind then tackled his emotions together in a positive way • Yes gradual changes. I feel calmer!
• Yes. Both responded when I identified their emotion and I took time to listen with better results • Calmer, more understanding • The changes I have seen in my family are that they are more open with their communication.
Q.7 Do you have any other comments?
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• Loved the course and would do it again • It was very helpful thank you
• Feel I can take away some strategies I have learned that will be useful • Tea & Cakes were excellent!
• Have found the course very informative and good at accepting as realisation that you're not the only family struggling. • Good pace. Very enjoyable. Thank you. • Thank you very much • Wish I had come to this class earlier in my children’s lives • Great stuff! • Can calm a situation quicker than we used to • Presented in a lovely calm, supportive way
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