Everything we do makes a tangible difference to children
No matter what the service - we can help raise standards and elevate your current support
Our latest projects
Therapeutic classroom
Project: Out with the old and in with the new: a completely new concept for classroom design
Client: Shevington Vale Primary school
Our Therapeutic School Award runs throughout the year and is open to all mainstream primary schools, Pru’s and alternative provisions. Shevington Vale Primary signed up to embed our whole school approach to mental health in 2019 just before the Corona Virus pandemic. They spent a year training their staff online whilst juggling lockdowns.
On our return in 2021 we approached Andy Houghton the head teacher with a very special project – to transform their Year Three classroom in to the ultimate therapeutic classroom
The project
Here at TPC Therapy, we always work to the highest standard and find innovative ways to ensure our partners can reach the highest possible standards and have the biggest impact on the children in their care. It is no secret that we believe schools are not cultivating the best environments for children to flourish, especially if they are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing. That is why we have developed our whole school award, to help embed real change…and part of that is about the environment.
Classrooms are outdated and do not reflect an attachment aware approach nor a trauma informed one! They can often be overwhelming and increase levels of stress and anxiety in children. This then adds to the barrier to learning that many children have already. We believe classrooms should cultivate inspired learners who can move freely and be creative in their thinking and space. Children should feel comfortable and relaxed enough to access their rational thinking brain and therefore be able to learn. So this year we are working alongside Andy and his team to transform year three, giving them the space they need to truly flourish.
We are getting rid of plastic tables and chairs and will be introducing soft lighting, sofas, bistro style seating and an environment that is created specifically to get the very best from the children at the same time as removing many barriers the conventional classroom offers which can hinder concentration and cause children to disengage.
Victim Support
Project: Supporting children and families affected by homicide
Client: Victim Support’s Homicide Service
Victim Support’s Homicide Service supports children and young people directly impacted by homicide through their universal offer. We have worked alongside their team to create specific resources for both case workers and the families of the children affected by homicide. We wanted to ensure people had somewhere they could turn to find the answers they needed when working through this difficult and traumatic experience. We know how hard it is for anyone to cope with bereavement but especially if the death was a result of murder. We created a range of supportive videos and written support for families such as:
- Talking to children about the funeral
- Talking to children about death
- Responding to a child’s drawing or game that includes death
- Ideas to help children Express their anger in a healthy way
- Ideas to help children cope with their grief
- Over use of computer games following a death and many more
Our aim is to offer specific advice and support to help with real life scenarios. Our videos are helping support many families through what is often the most difficult time of their lives.
Juventas
Project: Supporting UASC’S arrival to the UK
Breaking down barriers to increase feelings of trust and safety
Client: Juventas
Juventas offers high quality supported accommodation to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. They seek to ensure that the children and young people have a secure base from which to achieve their personal goals and realise their aspirations. Juventas approached us to create a bespoke Support Hub for them. As part of the setup process, we had discussions with managers and staff to help us build up a picture of ‘need’ so that we can create solutions for them.
From these discussions it was clear that there was a language barrier when children came into the service after their difficult journey to the UK. Juventas staff were often calling a translation line to help them communicate with the children and young people when they arrived. We set about creating a series of welcome videos in many different languages for them to use instead. We wanted them to be able to sit down with their young people and play a friendly video in their own language. Juventas gave us an overview of what they wanted in each video and we did the rest! They now have videos in 12 different languages such as French, Farsi, Dari and Bambara.
Shortly after we began this project one of the support staff told us about a young person who was getting intrusive thoughts and memories. As a result we also created 7 bespoke mental health videos for the young people to watch in their own time. These cover things like, “what to do after a nightmare” and “refocus your thoughts” we hope that as they begin to work through their experiences and trauma, these videos will give them some techniques and skills to support their mental health.
