Resources: 'Unconditional Positive Regard'
Dave Whitaker's and Luke Mitchell's essential research, policies, books and training providers
If you’re a new subscriber or haven’t listened to the latest We Are In Beta Podcast, learn why treating students with unconditional positive regard can be so impactful and what it looks like in practice here.
What’s in store today?
What you’ve been saying about the latest episode.
The essential resources that have come up via Deborah Firat’s, Dave Whitaker’s and Luke Mitchell’s story at the bottom of the post.
What have people been saying?
More Tweets at the bottom of this post.
Check out Deb’s, Dave’s and Luke’s story
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The best ‘In Beta’ bits
If you’ve listened to this week’s episode - Luke’s masterclass in particular - it won’t surprise you that the list of learning resources attached to this episode is a rich one!
As promised last week, and with a big thank you to Dave and Luke, here are the resources they mentioned in their episode and some others, which have influenced their journeys significantly (and their thoughts about them):
Research and theory
Dave: “We work to a concept of unconditional positive regard, which comes from the work of Carl Rogers. So it comes from a therapeutic and psychotherapy background. But the way I describe it is: the way you would be with your own kids; you love them unconditionally but you’re not necessarily soft on them.”
Read a summary of the research here.
This TEDxRedondoBeach Talk: ‘The power of self acceptance’ from the US, charts a parent’s powerful journey of self discovery about how to support challenging behaviour using unconditional positive regard.
Policies and practice
Wellspring Behaviour Policy
In the episode Dave talks about playing the '‘long game”. It’s not just talk. It’s enshrined in their school Behaviour Policy, which also outlines the specific interventions they run:
“At Springwell Learning Community our aim is to support pupils in deep behavioural changes over time. This may take several years. In order to make the changes, an enquiry approach to behaviour is essential.”
Read the Behaviour Policy here.
Wellspring SEND Policy
The episode would not have been as popular as it has been without Deborah Firat’s input. Her story of how she got her son Zach, who has autism, into Springwell with the help of the staff there is reflected in Wellspring Academy Trust’s SEND Policy, which has an entire section dedicated to working with parents.
The ‘no punishment’ system
Luke Mitchell put this incredible decision tree together for:
“When people ask me....... what do you use instead of punishments?”
Books
Settling Troubled Pupils to Learn: Why Relationships Matter in School.
Attachment Aware School Series: Box Set of 5 Pocket Books.
…all by Louise Bomber.
Dr Andrew Curran - The Little Book of Big Stuff about the Brain: The True Story of Your Amazing Brain (The Independent Thinking Series).
Stephen Porges - The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe.
Bessel van der Kolk - The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma.
Training and models
Luke recommended so many training providers and models that have been fundamental to his development from TA, 12 years ago, to Head of Behaviour Support at Wellspring Academy Trust. Here’s a selection:
Theraplay
Theraplay is a child and family therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. It is based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child and is personal, physical, and fun. Theraplay interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge.
Learn more about Theraplay here.
Find the 130+ UK based Theraplay practitioners here.
Neurosequential Model
The Neurosequential Model is a developmentally-informed, biologically-respectful approach to working with at-risk children. The Neurosequential Model is not a specific therapeutic technique or intervention; it is a way to organise a child’s history and current functioning.
The goal of this approach is to structure assessment of a child, the articulation of the primary problems, identification of key strengths and the application of interventions (educational, enrichment and therapeutic) in a way that will help family, educators, therapists and related professionals best meet the needs of the child.
Learn more about the Neurosequential Model here.
Touch Base
Attachment Aware and Trauma Responsive (AATR) interventions for children, families and schools, which is underpinned by the theories of child development, attachment, intersubjectivity and neuroscience.
Learn more about Touch Base here.
The Attachment Lead Network
Here you will find information on what attachment is, what attachment aware schools are and most importantly, profiles of the key education staff in the UK already trained up in advocacy and good practice, supporting pupils with attachment difficulties to settle to learn.
Learn more The Attachment Lead Network here.
Mark Finnis & L30 Relational Systems
L30 offers training, consultancy and support to schools by providing participants with an understanding of restorative practice including proactive and responsive skills, with a practical framework, including a range of formal and informal strategies.
Learn more about Mark Finnis and Relational Systems here.
Positive Regard Teaching School
Positive Regard, led by Springwell Special Academy, specialises in offering bespoke Behaviour Support that is delivered by a team of active practitioners.
The team aims to bring a true understanding of meeting children’s needs to the forefront of school improvement. They have a suite of programmes that can be adapted to suit all needs over extended periods of time and offer highly focused specialist advice and guidance.
Learn more about Positive Regard Teaching School here.
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Thanks for reading ALL of this. Worth it, though. What a set a of resources! (Thanks again, Luke and Dave).
Thanks for playing your part in making education the place we all know it can be.
Speak soon,
@NiallAlcock
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