Research School Network: We All Need A Safe Space

Children who struggle to contain their anger have often experienced adversity at an early age and carry the invisible baggage of trauma. Goldman (2006) describes trauma as control having been ​‘hijacked’ by the amygdala, implying that the overstimulated child cannot learn in a state of hyperarousal. Trauma led practice can provide children with a choice. ​‘The children we call resilient,’ notes S. Bloom, ​‘the ones who survive and transcend traumatic home environments are the children who are provided with choices that they are able to use advantageously’. (S. Bloom: 1995)

As educators we need to provide children with the skills and opportunities to become resilient so they understand how to adjust their level of alertness and depersonalize their anger, in order to control it. Self-regulation, self-control, self-management or impulse-control, whatever you choose to call it, are skills that need to be taught. 67% of the population have at least 1 ACE and according to the January 2019 Census (DfE July 2019) 16.3% of primary age children on the SEN register are categorised in the Broad Area of Need, Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs.

Dix (2017) talks about creating a culture in school to change behaviour and that this culture needs to be embedded within school and consistent amongst all staff. Staff need to respond to angry children by being predictable, consistent and empathetic. The ​‘normal process of educating children cannot proceed until a sense of physical and psychological safety is established in the school’. (S. Bloom: 1995).

At Billesley Primary School, in line with a recent EEF published SEL guidance report (2019), we are devoting ​‘much more time’ to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) compared to five years ago. We have a mental health representative, regular CPD sessions devoted to staff and children’s Mental Health, specialist mentoring roles, a family support worker and all staff are trained in supporting a range of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) through online training.

S. Bloom’s ​“Creating Sanctuary in the School” (1995) describes the importance of creating a safe and healing environment for children within school as this support children’s mental health. She writes, ‘[c]hildren are only able to learn within a context of safety and security. But for many children today, neither their homes nor their schools are safe places for living, much less learning.‘

An important first step at Billesley Primary School was to establish an environment which was consistent, low arousal and a calming place to be, as evidenced by the Clever Classrooms, whose results show that differences in the physical design of a classroom explain 16% of the variation in the learning progress of the pupils in those spaces. Having researched Safe spaces in schools we then initiated our own safe spaces. These are designated areas where children can choose to go to calm down, take time to process, or just be alone but are seen as positive behavior choices if they move themselves to the safe spaces. Safe spaces give children a much needed outlet from a busy classroom which demands high expectations throughout the day. ’ ​“All students should know that safe spaces are available to them,” she adds. ​“It’s not just for some.” ’ (Sanchez:2018))

In our safe spaces mentors are available to talk with children and ​‘provide opportunities to look at what might be causing behaviours’. Marilyn Price-Mitchell, (2016). Staff can provide deescalation strategies, mindful activities, reflection or just human comfort. Our Safe spaces are not a punishment or an avoidance tactic but as an opportunity/​a choice. Children choose to use the safe space to self-regulate and then return to class.

Our pupils are actively involved in the Safe Spaces and we have representatives from Y4‑6 as ambassadors for the Student Well Being and Awareness Group (SWAG) to support positive mental health across school, with one of those responsibilities is to look after the safe space and promote its use.

At a time when nearly half of young people (49%) have sought mental health support from teachers (more than any other profession), according to the NHS Digital prevalence study(2017), we need to provide children with spaces where they can go, self-regulate, receive human comfort and successfully make the choices. At Billesley, we have initiated this and started to offer the choices in order to build resilience. 

<sub>References

Bloom, S. (October 1995) ​‘Creating Sanctuary’, Journal for a Just and Caring Education I(4): 403 – 433
Barrett, P et al. (February 2015) Clever Classrooms. Manchester, University of Salford.
Dix, P. (2017) When the Adults Change, Everything Changes: Seismic shifts in school behaviour. London. Independent Thinking Press
EEF Social Emotional Learning Toolkit (2019). London. Education Endowment Foundation
Goldman, D. (2006) Emotional Intelligence: why it can matter more than IQ. London, Bantam Books

Website reference

Public Health England (2016) The mental health of children and young people in England. Available: https://assets.publishing.service. gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_​data/​file/​575632/​Mental_​health_​of_children_in_England.pdf
[Accessed 03 October 2019].

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2017/2017
[Accessed 6 January 2020]

Price-Mitchell, M.(2016) The Wounds of Childhood Can Be Healed. Neuroscience research gives hope to victims of trauma. Available: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-moment-youth/201605/the-wounds-childhood-can-be-healed [Accessed 03 October 2019].

Kiedaisch (2018) Why Safe Spaces Are Critical in Today’s Classrooms. Available: https://www.weareteachers.com/safe-spaces-in-classrooms/ [Accessed 03 October 2019].

2019 Census (DfE July 2019) Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2019
[Accessed 03 October 2019].</sub>