Launched in 2020, the Trauma and Attachment Programme by the Sutton Virtual School has made a real impact for Sutton’s children and young people, providing invaluable support to Sutton schools. The programme provides both “Universal” and “Targeted” support to schools, ensuring that staff are trauma informed and effectively supporting children and young people displaying difficulties indicative of adversities.
Health watch dog, The National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) in its NG 26 guidelines, stipulated that supporting children with attachment difficulties including early years and particularly children at risk, should incorporate provisions for teachers at all levels to have access to training solutions that explores the concept of attachment, its development and importantly implications for development.
The Trauma & Attachment programme has delivered Trauma & Attachment Base Training to over thirt
y-four (34) schools, covering more than 500 school staff across Sutton including teachers, senior leadership, and assistants as well as targeted support to over 20 pupils since September 2020.
Concomitantly, additional health guidelines from NICE (NG 76, CG170) have recommended the use of attachment and parent-child base therapy to support abuse, maltreatment, maladaptive attachment difficulties and neurodevelopmental challenges. Our Trauma & Attachment programme have proudly embraced
this advice, as Sutton schools currently have access to attachment-based therapy “Video Interaction Guidance.”
The therapy has been evidenced to be successful in building positive teacher-pupil relationship, sensitivity, emotional focus, cognitive focus, learning and mitigate externalising behaviours. Staff have lauded the provision as ground-breaking due its flexibility in supporting vulnerable families and children on the autistic spectrum.
To further expand our reach, trauma champions selected in designated schools have access to bi-monthly trauma drop-in sessions to identify and discuss pupils who may need support.
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