THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION

At RAISE-AP we adopt a holistic therapeutic approach towards individual education packages tailored to each student. Each timetable concentrates on providing for academic needs, with an equal emphasis on emotional and social development. RAISE-AP foster a high staff to student ratio to enable a safe containing environment where individuals can process and explore the difficulties that education or socialising in larger groups can evoke. 

Our support staff offer dedicated interventions, tailored to the needs of each individual student as part of their timetable, but also used ad-hoc when students need specific support.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.

TRAUMA INFORMED

All RAISE-AP staff have access to reflective conversations and debriefs alongside bespoke training which is offered by in-house specialists around current presenting needs alongside opportunities to discuss more complex presentations for individual students through consultation slots. This allows our education staff to understand and manage more complex presentations resulting from experiences of trauma, mental ill health or neurodiversity.

An ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is a fully trained member of our staff who focus on supporting children in the development of their emotional literacy.

Emotional Literacy encompasses:

• Understanding and managing feelings: both about themselves and others.
• Building high self-esteem: alongside fostering positive interactions with peers and adults.
• Enhanced focus: being emotionally literate helps children to concentrate better on their learning.

The ELSA may work on a variety of areas, including:

• Recognising emotions.
• Self-esteem.
• Social skills.
• Friendship skills.
• Anger management.
• Loss and bereavement.

Our young people are usually referred for ELSA support by their teacher, SENCO, or support staff. The ELSA programme typically runs for 6-8 sessions, each lasting between 20 to 30 minutes and occurring during the day.

ELSAs provide emotional support; they do not fix problems. The aim is to establish a warm, respectful relationship with the student and provide a reflective space for open dialogue. This is a ‘supporting, not fixing’ approach.