The teenage years are associated with high levels of uncertainty and anxiety, compounded by academic and social demands, and physical and emotional changes. They can be especially tough for teenagers who learn differently. This workbook contains a host of practical activities for teachers and other adults supporting young people with learning differences, whether at home or in the classroom. Drawing on their years of first hand experience, and up to the minute research, the authors outline a trans-diagnostic framework for identifying what might be behind a student's behaviour. They show how the first crucial step all practitioners must take is to work out what could be causing a teen's feelings of anxiety or uncertainty, and how this can be addressed. The activities in this workbook are organised into three sections, each addressing one of the three key areas where anxiety or uncertainty can be found: the structural, sensory and social domains. The tried-and-tested worksheets and activities present a much-needed alternative to a diagnosis-led approach. They can be used with any teenager, with or without a diagnosis, in classroom settings, intervention groups, or one to one work. The Anxiety Workbook will help you to really understand and address the needs of the SEN students you support, thereby improving their well-being, confidence and self-esteem and empowering them to get the most out of their education.

Takes autistic children step by step through such activities as using the toilet, brushing their teeth, and wearing a safety belt in the car.

Unique in its field, the second edition of this respected book continues to underpin teaching in a positive, structured, and proactive manner. Sylvia Lucas revises and expands on the original work of Marjorie Boxall. It includes: - A new chapter on nurture groups and pedagogy, child development theories and brain research. - Updated examples such as the Every Child Matters agenda, an inclusive curriculum and schools' responses, 'and a practitioner's physical contact with the child - A Case study from an international Nurture Group Written in an accessible style this book will be useful to school managers, SENCOs, educational psychologists and teachers and therapists in specialist settings. Marjorie Boxall originated the concept of nurture groups and was a founding member of the Nurture Group Network. The NGN runs accredited courses at Cambridge University, Leicester University and London University. Sylvia Lucas is a founding member of the Nurture Group Network and now coordinates the work of the University CPD Group. She undertakes a range of consultancy in primary practice and school leadership both in the UK and abroad.

This easy-to-use resource is a compilation of theoretical background and concrete approaches designed to increase understanding and outline strategies to support autistic children and young people who experience anxiety in the school environment. This resource also has practical application for parents, carers and professionals across a range of educational and community-based settings. Using real life examples and case studies, the book explains and explores the different forms of anxiety and their impact across the school environment. Each chapter offers practical information and strategies that may help reduce the negative symptoms of anxiety and help support emotional resilience across home and school environments. Key features of this book include: Chapters aimed at enhancing the understanding of anxiety in autism, considering potential triggers of anxiety, discussion on cognitive theories, social communication and means of assessing anxiety. A wealth of downloadable anxiety management strategies and resources that can be adapted and used by a teacher, parent or other professional. This resource has been developed by the multidisciplinary team at Middletown Centre for Autism, and is a useful resource for the busy parent, teacher and other professionals who wish to provide individualised support strategies for anxiety across a range of settings.

This work is a step-by-step programme for parents, teachers and other professionals to help develop the non-verbal, verbal and social reciprocity skills of children with autism. It covers how to communicate with children with autism and "how to" techniques for developing language skills. Specifically addressing developmental delays, the text helps to lay the necessary framework for future language growth by turning the actions the child initiates into interactions with meaning. This is a user-friendly guide, complete with child-centred exercises that can be carried out at home or the classroom.

The 'Get to Know Me' series is made up of resources aimed at children with additional needs. Developed by child psychologist Dr Louise Lightfoot and illustrated by Catherine Hicks, the series includes activities specific to anxiety, depression and OCD. This book, Draw Along With Silver Matilda, is an activity-based picture book story, in which individual children are encouraged to interact with the story in a creative way - through writing, drawing, scrap booking, collage, activities etc. Active engagement helps children to understand and process information, and aids long-term recall. It has been designed to support the individual child and encourage an empathetic and inclusive environment. In this book, we meet Silver Matilda, a bird with silver feathers known for her beauty and graceful flight. The story follows Matilda as she loses her bright feathers and ashamed, hides away from the world until one day an owl comes and sits with her. The owl shows Matilda empathy and stays with her whilst she recovers and watches as she becomes stronger through her experience. This book was written with children with depression in mind, providing an opportunity to relate to Matilda's thoughts, feelings, behaviours and experiences. However, children with a range of needs may benefit from the story. The book is written in a narrative style, so it does not use diagnostic labels and is not intended for this purpose. Instead the focus is on creating a common language which children can understand and use to make sense of how they are feeling. A practitioner guidebook is also available (ISBN 9780815349433).

The 'Get to Know Me' series is aimed at children with additional needs and those who support them in the classroom. Developed by child psychologist Dr Louise Lightfoot and illustrated by Catherine Hicks, the resources in this series include activities specific to anxiety, depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This book, Silver Matilda, has been designed to support the individual child but also to be used in whole class teaching, to encourage an empathetic and inclusive environment. In this book, we meet Silver Matilda, a bird with silver feathers known for her beauty and graceful flight. The story follows Matilda as she loses her bright feathers and ashamed, hides away from the world until one day an owl comes and sits with her. The owl shows Matilda empathy and stays with her whilst she recovers and watches as she becomes stronger through her experience. This book was written with children with depression in mind, providing an opportunity to relate to Matilda's thoughts, feelings, behaviours and experiences. However, children with a range of needs may benefit from the story. The book is written in a narrative style, so it does not use diagnostic labels and is not intended for this purpose. Instead the focus is on creating a common language which children can understand and use to make sense of how they are feeling. A practitioner guidebook (ISBN 9780815349433) and draw along version (ISBN 9780815349464) are also available.

At times children are unable or unwilling to access or engage with emotional and mental health support services. Often members of a child's support network are therefore required to provide this emotional guidance and support to them. This resource book is intended to be used as a guide by families and friends, school staff, and any other adults supporting children who have experienced trauma, to help the adults to provide the emotional guidance these children need. Guide to Re-building Trust with Traumatised Children aims to educate the reader about trauma and the impact of an insecure attachment - how it may impact a child, how to support a child - as well as helping the reader to understand different behaviours. The guide suggests many practical ideas and activities designed to help children to build more positive relationships, to feel safe within their world, and to express and explore their emotions. There is a section on self-care for adults, and advice about when a referral to a specialist service may be required. This guide was designed to be used by any person supporting a child who has experienced trauma or an insecure attachment, no matter what their previous understanding of these issues might be. It is specifically written to be as accessible and as user friendly as possible to help rather than hinder the user. It can be used alone or together with the storybook The House That Wouldn't Fall Down.

Packed with photocopiable lesson plans and tried and tested strategies, this illustrated guide is the ideal companion for teachers and therapists wishing to help kindergarten and elementary school children to self-regulate. It contains everything you need to integrate the successful, research-based 'Awesome and In Control' program, which focuses on empowering children to regulate their own emotions and senses and helping them to develop excellent coping strategies. Explaining how the popular, universal 'Awesome and In Control' program works, the guide enables you to help children to keep calm and in control during everyday tasks including reading, writing and paying attention to others.

* A unique introduction to the brain, for children, with a charming, character-led story explaining fight, flight and freeze * An accessible resource with clear lesson / session plans including activities and discussions, making anxiety OK and a host of self-calming strategies * Ideal for both whole class PSHE and for individual children

In these games, the prize is success in school-and life. Having good social skills doesn't just affect classroom behavior-it's the key to making learning stick. When students improve their self-regulation, social communication, and perspective-taking competencies, they are better prepared to challenge themselves academically, take on tough tasks, and collaborate with teachers and classmates to achieve real, lasting school success. And since these skills also improve life outside school, the benefits come full circle. Designed for both explicit instruction and "learning by doing," this practical guide provides hands-on activities that are easily adapted into any curriculum and can be used in general education, special education, after-school settings, and in the home. The design of each game keeps kids engaged and motivated, while educators benefit from clear, thorough explanations that unpack the complexities of social learning. Other behind-the-scenes features include: Evidence-based, teacher-tested lessons Anecdotes and real-world examples Links to relevant research Expansion ideas for applying learned skills to broader situations Templates and reproducibles for easy implementation This curated collection of activities puts social-learning theory into practice, helping even the most challenging children develop the social skills necessary for real success in school-and beyond.

Combining literacy lessons with wellbeing, this accessible guide, full of practical lesson plans and photocopiable activities is the ideal resource for the busy primary school teacher. Using popular children's books to explore themes such as relationships, friendship, listening, anxiety, sadness, resilience and confidence, each book focuses on the key areas shown to impact mental health and wellbeing to enable children to explore and think about difficult things. Divided into five chapters, each chapter focuses on an area that creates positive foundations for mental health and wellbeing: relationships, emotional literacy, sense of self, skills for learning and understanding how our brain effects our learning and our behaviour. Developed into a series of lesson plans for teachers and links to the literacy curriculum, each story contains a range of teaching techniques that develop the key areas impacting mental health and wellbeing. This invaluable recourse will enable KS1 teachers to focus and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding to incorporate wellbeing into the literacy curriculum.

- A unique resource to explore the internal world of feelings and thoughts and the external world of behaviour - An inclusive resource proven to appeal to mixed ability children with activities to develop empathy and original thinking - Children's book and adult resource with clear, detailed, accessible lesson / session plans and photocopiable activity sheets all together

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the storybook. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Feel, Think and Do with Ruby, Rafa and Riz: A Storybook and Guide for Understanding Behaviour and Emotions, 978-1-032-05939-6. Written as the adult accompaniment to the Feel, Think and Do with Ruby, Rafa and Riz storybook, this resource explores behaviour with strategies for supporting children who struggle to manage their responses and behaviours; and the role of the adult in recognising signs, de-escalation, connection and reflection. Designed to assist adults in introducing children to their inner world and connecting that world to the world around us in an emotionally safe space, this guidebook contains six sessions that can be delivered to children in a large group, as a class, in smaller groups or individually. These sessions provide the context and landscape of the emotional health of children and what can affect their wellbeing, such as: risk factors and protective factors principles - emotional intelligence, emotional regulation emotions and learning creating emotionally safe spaces the imaginary iceberg - our feelings and thoughts are hidden; our behaviour is on show. Full of opportunities for children to talk about and discuss both the events in the story and their own feelings, thoughts, opinions and ideas, this book enables teachers, support staff and all those working directly with children to expertly cover topics such as the hidden nature of feelings and thoughts, the fact that behaviour is the bit on show, and how talking about feelings and thoughts can help to explain and understand behaviour.

This beautifully illustrated storybook and guide have been created to teach children about safeguarding in its broadest sense: that being safe from harm is the most important right they have, and that the trusted adults around them will always take action to protect, believe and respect them. Covering all of the fundamental aspects of safeguarding, the Protective Behaviours (PB) process, and teaching children about the safety continuum, networks of support and persistence, the invaluable lessons in this resource help children develop their own internal measure of safety and will teach them how to ask for help if they ever feel unsafe. The set includes: Something Has Happened: Supporting Children's Right to Feel Safe - An engaging storybook, offering opportunities for discussion throughout, helping children learn about difficult feelings, who they can go to for help and what do to when it feels like nobody is listening A Practical Resource for Supporting Children's Right to Feel Safe - A practical resource that includes session plans and activities to accompany the story and fundamental guidance around safeguarding for the adult This is a must-have resource for teachers, support staff and other professionals working with primary and lower-secondary aged children.

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the guidebook- Guide for Safeguarding and Supporting Children's Right to Feel Safe. Something has happened to Joe. Now he doesn't feel safe; he feels sick, wants to cry and can't even concentrate on his computer games. This carefully and sensitively written storybook has been created to enable conversations around safeguarding, teaching children about their right to feel safe, and what to do if, like Joe, they ever need help. With colourful and engaging illustrations, the story offers opportunities for discussion throughout, using Joe as a tool to help children understand their difficult feelings, who they can go to for help, and what they can do when it feels like nobody is listening. This storybook: Teaches children about the right to feel safe, the safety continuum, networks of support and persistence Offers advice that can be used by children in any situation, from disclosing abuse to talking about smaller worries Can be used with both primary and lower-secondary aged pupils as a whole class, in small groups or in one-to-one sessions Designed to be used alongside the professional guidebook, A Practical Resource for Supporting Children's Right to Feel Safe, this is an essential tool for teachers, support staff and other professionals who want to teach children that being safe from harm is the most important right they have, and that the trusted adults around them will always take action to believe and protect them.

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the storybook - Something Has Happened: A Storybook. This programme of activities, created to be used alongside the storybook, Something Has Happened, has been designed to help children develop their own internal measure of safety, and teaches them how to ask for help if they feel unsafe. The sessions and activities in this book directly correlate to episodes in the storybook Something Has Happened, covering the fundamental aspects of safeguarding as well as elements of the Protective Behaviours (PB) process. Taking adults and children through a wide range of discussion points and activities, all underpinned by clear guidance, it acts as a starting point to help children understand that being safe from harm is the most important right they have and that the trusted adults around them will always take action to believe and protect them. Key features of this resource include: Session plans that directly link to events in the Something Has Happened storybook Clear, detailed and accessible activity plans that can be used with whole classes, small groups or with individual children Photocopiable activity sheets With a concise and accessible introduction to the right to feel safe and Protective Behaviours, this is an invaluable resource for teachers, support staff and other professionals working with both primary and lower-secondary aged children.

This teacher resource is filled with worksheets, tasks and activities focused on developing the social skills of children on the autistic spectrum aged 8-12. It has been created to be used alongside the story Finding Kite: A Social Skills Adventure Story, although activities can stand alone as a programme of intervention. Each task encourages young people to think about their own experiences, challenges and goals, building self-esteem and confidence along the way. Suitable for use in small groupsor 1:1, the worksheets are flexible in design, allowing the facilitator to respond to the needs of each child. Key features of this resource include: * engaging activities divided into sections focused on 'making sense of my world' and 'connecting with others'; * photocopiable and downloadable worksheets, filled with opportunities for reflection and discussion; * the option to use it alongside the engaging, choose your own adventure story, Finding Kite, which immerses the reader in a sensory adventure. Designed for students aged 8-12, this resource provides an invaluable opportunity to build an understanding of the complexities of social dynamics. Although created with girls on the autistic spectrum in mind, it can be used with students of different genders and adapted for their needs.

The Silent Selkie describes a character who is unable to communicate in words and whose only way of communicating is through the weather, which leads to disastrous consequences not only for the Selkie, but also for everyone around her. But behind her golden scales, the Selkie hides a secret wound that even she is unaware of, and it is only when the Selkie's skin becomes uncovered by the force of the sea that she remembers the terrible story of what caused her hurt, long ago. Only then can the Selkie come to terms with her wound and begin a journey of healing that will bring her face-to-face with what she has needed all along. Beautifully illustrated and sensitively written, The Silent Selkie deals with the effects of trauma on a young person - including hypersensitivity and emotional reactivity. The story uses the metaphor of trauma as a 'hidden wound', which in reality is an emotional or psychological pain that needs both acknowledgement and expression, within the context of a safe, supportive environment, in which to begin to heal. This colourful storybook: Helps adults provide a safe environment for children to use non-verbal expression to communicate experiences that may be difficult to talk about. Uses creative metaphors and symbols to offer children a supportive way to communicate, whilst maintaining a safe distance from the source of their emotional pain. Inspires and empowers children to begin their journey of healing. The Silent Selkie encourages young people who may have adverse childhood experiences or trauma to develop greater understanding of how this can affect them and is ideal reading for those working with vulnerable children and young people seeking to use the expressive arts to develop greater emotional literacy in children with a background of trauma. For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the guidebook. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Supporting Children and Young People Who Have Experienced Trauma, 978-0-367-63944-0

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the storybook. Both books can be purchased together as a set, When Happiness Had a Holiday: Helping Families Improve and Strengthen their Relationships [9780367860547] Designed to be used alongside the storybook, When Happiness Had a Holiday, this colourful practical resource provides therapists with a variety of activities to engage and support family members as they work towards improving and strengthening their family relationships. Healthy and supportive family relationships are essential to mental health, and as referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services continue to rise, growing research demonstrates the benefit of involving families in the treatment of children and young people facing emotional and mental health difficulties. This resource takes a solution-focused brief therapy approach to working with families, providing professionals with a variety of tools to help family members to recognise their strengths as individuals and as a family, and harness these as they search for solutions together. This book features: A range of worksheets, with activities to help families recognise difficulties, discover solutions and celebrate successes Games focused on encouraging families to recognise their individual and family strengths Guidance for professionals as they use the resource. Fully photocopiable and beautifully illustrated, this is a vital resource for social workers, counsellors, mental health professionals and individual and family psychotherapists working with families and children.

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the professional guidebook. Both books can be purchased together as a set, When Happiness Had a Holiday: Helping Families Improve and Strengthen their Relationships [9780367860547] This beautifully illustrated therapeutic storybook has been designed to support children and families to strengthen their relationships using solution-focused brief therapy. Healthy and supportive family relationships are essential to mental health, and as referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services continue to rise, growing research demonstrates the benefit of involving families in the treatment of children and young people facing emotional and mental health difficulties. The storybook explores the struggles faced by a typical family in which relationships have become more tense and conflictual. It can be used to spark discussion about the struggles faced by a family, and the ways in which these struggles can be overcome when they work together. This book features: An engaging story with attractive illustrations, enabling difficult issues to be explored in a child-friendly manner An accessible and relateable narrative that allows for a discussion of family difficulties without assigning blame Several suggestions for practical steps that can be taken to allow happiness to return to a family. This is a vital resource for social workers, counsellors, mental health professionals and individual and family psychotherapists working with families and children. Also available is an accompanying workbook with resources and activities: When Happiness Had a Holiday: Helping Families Improve and Strengthen their Relationships: A Professional Resource.