Therapeutic Thinking Support Team

The Therapeutic Thinking Support Team (TTST) recognise that if we want to change a child's behaviour in school we must first change the way they feel by providing them with the necessary positive experiences.

Whole school benefits of a therapeutic approach:

• Children are supported and encouraged to build strong relationships with their teachers and classmates
• The learning experiences of all children are improved due to the needs of individual learners being met, resulting in fewer instances of disruption throughout the school day
• Staff model the therapeutic values and children are encouraged to become kind, accepting, honest and tolerant young people
• The achievements and contributions of all children are recognised and celebrated
• The individual talents and skills of each child are valued by the school, their teachers and peers
• All children are provided with the opportunities to become self-motivated and curious learners setting them up for succeeding both in their education and throughout life
• Children are part of an inclusive culture built on the respect and celebration of individuals which promotes confidence and high self-esteem for all

Who we are

The Therapeutic Thinking Support Team is made up of the following professionals:

• Senior Educational Psychologist
• Primary Adviser
• Social Emotional and Mental Health Practitioners
• Assistant Educational Psychologist

How do we work?

Request for involvement form can be completed by maintained schools outlining the area of need and requests must be agreed and signed by parents/carers.

We work with schools to support their implementation of Therapeutic Thinking and offer support with individual children who may need additional support, this can involve:

• Supporting schools to complete Therapeutic Thinking tools to better understanding a child's behaviour
• Developing Therapeutic Plans to increase pupils' prosocial experiences and positive feelings and detail clear responses to prosocial, difficult and dangerous behaviours
• Circle of adult meetings for children at risk of permanent exclusion
• Training for staff
• Advice and training for staff relating to positive handling
• Strategic planning at whole school or classroom level with a primary adviser
• Consideration of class dynamics
• Small garden advice and support
• Intervention work with pupils
• Small group work with pupils

The following interventions which aim to develop a pupil's social and emotional skills may form part of our work with pupils:

• Drawing and talking
• Homunculi
• Lego Therapy
• Social Stories
• Story Links/ Therapeutic Story Writing
• Video interaction Guidance