Overview
Somerset is committed to a trauma informed approach. Recognising that past traumatic experiences can significantly impact an individual’s well-being and their ability to form trusting relationships. A whole-school relational approach is crucial to fostering a safe and calm environment. This approach focuses on:
- developing positive relationships throughout the school community,
- equipping staff to understand the impact of trauma,
- consistently applying clear rules that de-escalate,
- identifying individual student needs, and
- prioritising keeping children in school by using suspensions and exclusions as a last resort.
Somerset have established a Pathfinder Programme with five schools who are able to offer direct support and guidance to other schools looking to implement these relational policies and practices.
Trauma Informed Somerset
Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as harmful or life threatening, and can cause lasting adverse effects on mental, physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being. It can negatively affect individuals or communities and their ability to feel safe or develop trusting relationships with professionals. Everyone’s experience is unique and trauma affects people in different ways.
Trauma informed approaches recognise the prevalence of trauma in people’s lives and acknowledge the potential effects that this can have on individuals and their families, networks, and communities. A Trauma Informed Somerset means having a workforce that is able to recognise when individuals are affected by trauma and adversity and then able to respond in ways that are supportive and prevent further harm. In relation to educational settings, often a whole-school approach is crucial and supports all children and young people. You can find Trauma Informed Resources for education settings on the Somerset Wellbeing Framework website, as well as further resources on the Somerset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership website.
The Somerset Trauma Informed Network is a group of individuals and organisations who are committed to a journey of becoming more trauma informed in their practice and policy. The Network allows practitioners from a range of organisations and diverse backgrounds to link, share best practice and learn together to create a Somerset-wide culture of practice.
Benefits of relational approaches
Relational policy and practice is a part of Trauma Informed Somerset. Research suggests that a whole-school relational approach helps everyone, especially young people who are struggling. In Somerset, a program evaluation of relational policy and practice demonstrated:
- staff felt more confident and empowered
- improved ways to manage and support behaviour
- students felt safer and more listened to
- fewer behavioural incidents along with reduced suspensions and exclusions, and
- improved attendance and more students included in lessons.
Characteristics of relational practice
Developing relational policy and practice is a whole-school approach characterised by the following features.
Helping staff understand
Developing awareness and knowledge of staff about relational practice and what this means practically on a day-to-day basis for how students are interacted with and responded to. This is supported through staff continued professional development (CPD) that involves learning about the rationale for trauma-informed practices and the evidence around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how these impact development.
Having clear rules
Developing a behaviour or relational policy that is implemented consistently across the school. This policy aims to have a preventative function using de-escalation techniques, and a culture that promotes a positive and calm environment.
Identifying needs
A system that is as effective as possible at identifying the needs of those individuals who present in the most challenging way, so that adjustments can be made where needed. A relational approach recognises that many challenging behaviours communicate something important about a young person that needs exploration.
Keeping children in school
Committing to using suspensions and exclusion as a last resort. Appreciating that the evidence indicates that suspensions and exclusions rarely address underlying reasons for behaviour.
Giving the right support
A graduated approach that recognises that for those where behaviour is persistently challenging, assessment of individual circumstances to understand the drivers influencing behaviour and what it’s communicating is essential in tailoring the support, such as use of Somerset Pastoral Support Plan.
School to school support
Somerset has five schools (four primary, across localities, and one secondary) within the Pathfinder Programme. These schools can support other schools who are looking to focus on developing relational policy and practice within their setting. School leaders can get in touch with these schools to find out more.
Secondary school (all localities)
Whitstone School (Secondary) – Ms Maz Turner (Headteacher) Maz.Turner@whitstoneschool.org
Bridgwater, North Sedgemoor and West Mendip
Eastover Community Primary School – Mrs Jo Larson (SENDCo) jlarson@eastoverschool.co.uk 01278 422 693
Mendip and East Somerset and North Sedgemoor and West Mendip
Hindhayes Infant School – Mrs Kate Nester (Headteacher) Kate.Nester@hindhayes.co.uk
South Somerset
Curry Rivel Primary School – Mrs Ali Pook (Headteacher) apook@curryrivel.somerset.sh.uk
Taunton, Wellington and West Somerset
Minerva Primary School – Mr Gareth Nation (Headteacher) gareth.nation@clf.uk