Younus' emotional resilience grows through personalised support
- Younus was struggling with his self-esteem, and was facing emotional challenges in his homelife. His confidence in his academic attainment was low, and his dad was running out of ideas to help and support him.
- A personalised programme of support, planned by his Link Worker, included academic help but focused on showing Younus he could meet challenges and achieve things to make himself proud.
- Younus is now facing the move to secondary school with positivity and confidence.
Younus was at the beginning of Year 5 when he was identified as someone who would benefit from the AllChild Impact Programme. Data collected in a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, a wellbeing measurement tool, highlighted him as at risk in both Maths and English, and his attendance rates were low. His teachers and his dad were also concerned about his emotional wellbeing.
In the initial stage of the programme his Link Worker Catherine met with Younus’ dad, who spoke openly about his hope for additional support for his son. He explained that Younus was having some emotional difficulties around his mum, who lives separately from the family. Younus would often get very upset and angry in telephone calls with her but struggle to articulate what he was feeling or why he was feeling it.
Younus’ dad was also concerned about Younus’s lack of confidence in his own ability, especially in maths. He told Catherine that Younus always tried hard but could get frustrated in the face of challenges. His dad was working with him at home on his maths skills and had also spent a lot of time researching and trying to help Younus’ emotional wellbeing with meditation and breathing exercises, but was finding it difficult to support him emotionally.
Younus was on the SEND register at school for generalised learning difficulties. He was significantly below age related expectations for maths and English at the start of Year 5, working at around Year 2 level. The family had a good relationship with the school and had worked with teachers to help support his learning. Both his teacher and the SENCO spoke positively of his attitude but were concerned about his confidence and lack of academic progress.
After getting to know Younus by spending time with him in class, speaking to his teachers and having 1-1s with him, his Link Worker planned a programme of support focused on building his confidence. This included his academic confidence, and a focus on supporting his emotional resilience. Catherine began supporting him in class once a week in maths lessons, and including him in a weekly group-based Mathletics intervention. Additionally, short bits of maths were incorporated into 1-1s through games to make this maths revision fun and less like “work”.
Normalising feelings
Catherine also included Zones of Regulation sessions into his personalised programme. This support, consisting of weekly sessions, allowed Younus to explore different feelings and begin to recognise how those feelings link to how his body feels and his actions. The aim was to give him some language to help him articulate how he was feeling about his mum or any other difficult situation and encourage him not to internalise these feelings, but rather, recognise that feeling different emotions is a normal process.
Younus slowly began to grow in confidence when tackling his work in maths lessons. He started asking more questions, and soon was willing to have a go and make mistakes, not worrying if it went wrong. He learned key number facts and this began to help him feel more willing to try. His dad was regularly informed of his progress which meant that he was able to consolidate this learning at home, and his dad started seeing progress.
“I have noticed Younus is becoming more confident in maths…He showed me the method he learned. He is starting to get much better at it as well.”
At the start of Zones of Regulation work, Younus felt that he was always in the “green zone” (calm and focused) but as the sessions continued, he began recognising that he went through different zones and emotions during every day, and that this is completely normal. He also learnt different tools he might use to get himself back into the green zone. He increasingly became able to name different emotions and his dad fed back that “he is a lot more relaxed and happy”.
Breakthrough moments
And Circus sessions, designed to build confidence through learning circus skills, led to a breakthrough moment for Younus. He was very unsure about attending, and told Catherine he was worried about his ability to take part. After the first session, he decided not to come back. Catherine kept the space for him and assured him that if he changed his mind he would always be welcome. After his dad and Catherine provided gentle encouragement, he turned up for the third session, during which children were allowed to try the tightrope. Younus didn’t want to join in, but then in the final few minutes, decided to give it a try!
Catherine was able to send a video to his dad who responded “Younus told me he did the tightrope. He was really happy about it.” Younus was also able to perform in the end of term sharing in front of teachers and parents, despite initially not wanting to. With some support he performed with his Link Worker and overcame his nerves. As the programme continued, Younus’s Link Worker continued to build on his number knowledge and his self confidence. After having been reluctant to take part in partner support previously, Younus was now excited about joining Element art club and trying other new opportunities that were offered to him. Later on in the programme, he also joined Reclaimed woodwork and Inspireworks drumming. All of these partners built on Younus’s confidence and also his resilience; even when things were challenging, he stuck at it and listened carefully to advice to produce some brilliant pieces of work.
Facing the future
At the start of the new school year, his second year in the Impact Programme, Younus put himself forward for school councillor. He made a speech in front of his class and was elected by his peers. Through the year, he rose to the challenge of this role and spoke in school council meetings articulately. Both the headteacher and deputy commented on how confident he had become, performing at the front of the class in a Black History dance and not hiding towards the back as he had done previously.
His willingness to try new things included attending AllChild football tournaments in the holidays and making new friends; trying an indoor climbing wall; being part of a weekly Lego Club; showing his woodwork to his class and going on his first residential trip. There were times when Younus found things more challenging. He was very worried when he learned that he would be going to a different secondary school to some of his friends, but after a conversation with his Link Worker, he was able to see the positives of his choice and knew that he would have good opportunities to make new friends there.
Before Younus’ SATs tests, his dad texted to say that Younus had been very upset in the evenings and was feeling worried. Although he wasn't able to explain what exactly was worrying him, he and Catherine went through some grounding and breathing exercises and talked about how he could make a calm box to help if needed with his dad. Catherine sent all this information through to his dad, who said that Younus had been “good” since.
While Younus’s needs meant that he found academic work a challenge, he was able to sit his SATs and attempt a lot of the arithmetic paper. The school began the process of applying for an EHCP for Younus to support his transition to secondary school. However, his personal growth on the programme has been huge. His class teacher sent this feedback:
I have taught Younus for two years now and the positive effects from him working with AllChild, particularly with Catherine, have been a joy to watch. Most noticeably, Younus has developed in his own self-esteem, confidence and communication. I have seen him approach his friends about issues that have been worrying him, speaking calmly and with conviction to achieve a positive resolution...I am immensely proud of him and am incredibly grateful for all of the support given to him from AllChild, which Catherine has so sensitively navigated. I feel much more reassured about Younus's transition to secondary school and I know that his nerves have been overcome with excitement too! Thank you.
Younus was able to attend his Year 7 transition day in July and was “excited” to see his new school. He said he was looking forward to “making some new friends” on the day so that he would know some people in September. At the end of term, he performed in the Year 6 show. He also consistently showed great kindness and patience with others in his interactions. Furthermore, his attendance at school improved hugely from 90% to 100%. While his learning needs continue to require support, he can now start at his new school with a level of confidence that may not have been possible before the AllChild programme.
Name changed and image unrelated.
