Schools recognised for trauma support for children

Assistant head teacher Sarah Coyle said her staff were "passionate" about their caring approach

Three Merseyside schools have been recognised for their support for pupils affected by trauma.

Springwell Park Primary School and Cambridge Road Nursery, both in Bootle, and St Jerome's Pre-School in Formby have won Attachment and Trauma Sensitive Schools Awards for the work they are doing.

Steps taken by the schools range from giving children space in the day to reflect and vocalise their feelings to looking to find the root cause behind a child’s behaviour.

Springwell Park's assistant head teacher Sarah Coyle said the national award recognised the school was "trauma sensitive to anybody who walks through the door".

'Massively important'

The schools said embedding their approach had not only helped students in school but also relationships with families at home.

One parent with a child at Springwell Park told BBC Radio Merseyside the "massively important" initiative had helped her and her family.

Ms Coyle said: "It's something that we're very passionate about at Springwell, understanding our children's lived experiences and what they've been through."

The awards, first launched in 2017, are accredited by Jennifer Nock Training and Consultancy.

Dr Nock is a chartered psychologist who provides training for teachers, families and those in the caring professions in areas including attachment and trauma and autistic spectrum conditions.

She said the awards were introduced to provide a framework of support and understanding for schools and other educational establishments within which children and young people who had experienced adversity could "heal, thrive, play, and learn".

Dr Risthardh Hare, Sefton Council's executive director of children’s social care and education, said they would encourage any school in Sefton to see how the trauma sensitive approach could be implemented.

"Not only does this approach benefit children and support them through negative experiences and difficult emotions but happy, supported children learn better and cope better at home too," he added.

“So many of our schools are already taking this approach and reaping the benefits and we will do all we can to support schools to nurture the wellbeing of our children here in Sefton.”