In your preparation for Child’s Plan or Solution Focused Meetings, have you considered how well prepared the child or young person is? It’s important that we respect their rights to be involved in decisions made with and for them. Best practice would be to share information with them in way that actively supports their engagement.
This link will take you to two videos which could help to show the child or young person what the meeting could look like. Getting ready for a meeting.
These videos may also be useful as a starting point for parents, carers or any supporting adults who have been invited to a meeting for the first time.
January sees another group of “freshers” starting in our Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings. This can be an exciting and yet nervous step for both the children and their parents/carers.
Successful transitions often need good planning. This is especially the case if the child has additional support needs. Within the blog we have a range of tools and information which can be used to support enhanced transitions. These sit nicely alongside the ‘Being Me!’ documents already in place in ELC settings. These tools cover many different topics. They include timescales and the benefits of planning in partnership with parents/carers, and communication between home and the setting.
Play Steps takes a closer look at different types of play demonstrated by children in activities commonly found in Early Learning and Childcare settings. The sections are designed to be used independently focusing on the interests of the child or the areas where specific needs have been identified.
The updated version and more guidance can be found using the following link.
On the February In-service day 2024, Highland One World (HOW) facilitated a session supporting school staff to consider how to support children and young people to move from ‘Anxiety to Hope and Action’. The session was jointly created by HOW and the Highland Psychological Service, who had gathered information from young people across Highland, that indicated a high level of concern about a range of ‘world events’ and how children were impacted by media reports about these issues. The session considered with practitioners the world events that are causing anxiety for many pupils – climate change, war, political disruption etc. The session looked at why these issues cause anxiety in some children and gave very practical examples of how children can be supported by the adults around them to take control of the things they can and to take positive action to address some of the issues in a way that reduces the negative impact on them personally. This session has been distilled to a one hour recording that provides accessible, helpful information to any practitioner working with children and young people in this very important area. This session can be accessed here:
Christmas can be fun and exciting for children and young people, but for those with additional support needs it’s a season that might bring additional challenges. Whether or not you and your family celebrate Christmas, its difficult to avoid the potential impact at home, in the community, and in our schools and nurseries.
It’s a time that can be confusing for children whose families do not celebrate Christmas. Some children live in a blended family or share their time between two households where family traditions and expectations can be different. Navigating all of this can be an added pressure for children with additional support needs.
For some practical ideas to support this have a look at the Planning for Christmas page.
My Rights to Wellbeing is a universal programme, to support the knowledge and understanding of children’s rights. The programme aims to encourage children to develop their emotional language and promotes an understanding of themselves and their social relationships, both within their families and their wider communities.
Just a reminder of this great presentation from Sharon Morris, Children’s Occupational Therapist in Highland.
This evidenced based approach contains practical adjustments to ensure the classroom environment can support all children, including those with neurodevelopmental differences. These resources are presented as a video and an accompanying handout developed within Highland Council Children’s Occupational Therapy Service.
Over the past few years, the Psychological Service has been working with Highland’s Literacy Development Officer to develop ‘Literacy for All in a World of Diversity.’ Grounded in current research and government recommendations, ‘Literacy for All in a World of Diversity’ sets out a pathway for supporting the learning and teaching of literacy for all children, built around The ‘Three Wave Model’ for assessment and differentiated teaching.
Highland Council Psychological Service regularly gathers feedback from stakeholders as part of their self-evaluation processes. Pupil focus groups were facilitated by members of the Psychological Service, to gather primary and secondary school children and young people’s views – to help inform and shape future service delivery. Eight focus groups were carried out face-to-face in schools and a youth group setting.
Children and Young People Infographics
Secondary School
Primary School
Click here to find out more about the project, summary, key questions, and to access the full report.
What is it like being a young child from an Armed Forces family? One where your mum or dad, or an older brother or sister, might be serving, a reservist or a veteran? You’ve certainly learned a lot of things already in life – how to manage what seem like sudden partings, long times without them, wondering how they are. Or moving from place to place, each one fine but slightly different to the last. What might you want from your Early Learning and Childcare setting? Of course, it is the small things that make the difference, the listening and understanding, working with families and children. This new resource for early years will tell you what it is like and how to help, as well as the wealth of learning armed forces families can bring to a setting. It is one in ten families in the country so well worth finding out.
Dr James McTaggart, Early Years Educational Psychologist, Highland Council
A resource that provides an overview for Managers, Educators and Practitioners – to access visit the Learning and Knowledge Hub on the Armed Forces Families Highland website or click the image below to view the interactive book.
Highland Council Psychological Service 