|
A Quiet Place is an action research programme based at the University
of Liverpool and run in partnership with the Cheiron Trust. Its
main objective is the development of emotional literacy in order
to address the needs of children in danger of exclusion from school
and to prevent the development of socially unacceptable behaviour
or later mental health problems.
Several primary schools in deprived areas of Liverpool have created
a Quiet Place. The room is designed to be environmentally magical.
It contains soft furnishings, bean-bags, 'mini-environments' such
as tent-like areas, water cascades, areas for sand play, plants
and musical instruments. The room forms part of an holistic programme
offering children counselling, massage and therapeutic play, and
well as storytelling, art and music workshops: a mix of mainstream
and complementary therapies.
The children are given one-to-one attention by qualified practitioners,
and taught how to manage their stress. This improves their confidence
and communication skills and makes them better able to settle in
class - and so better able to learn. Targeted pupils have three
40-minute sessions per week over a six-week period. Because these
take place in school, the programme minimises out-of-class time
and is non-stigmatising. Parents are also offered their own relaxation
and counselling sessions plus advice on dietary strategies and alternative
medicines for hyperactivity, asthma, excema etc.
In the two years since Quiet Place activities began at one school,
national test results substantially improved and no pupils were
permanently excluded. The head feels the two are not unconnected,
explaining, 'Classrooms are more tranquil now and we're dealing
with our difficulties in-house far more.' There is an obvious benefit
in having somewhere immediate to refer children and families in
distress, rather than waiting for appointments with outside organisations.
Research by the department of education at Liverpool University
(1) considered the first 22 children to go through the course at
one school, compared with a control group of children from schools
without the project. Using the Boxall profile, developed by Marjorie
Boxall, one of the founders of the nurture group movement, the children's
emotional growth and behavioural disturbance levels were measured,
and it was found that Quiet Place children were four or five times
better off than the group where there had been no intervention.
Since the project began, funding has come from sources such as
Liverpool local authority, North Liverpool Partnership and the schools
themselves.
For more details visit www.cheiron-quietplace.com,
email info@cheiron-quietplace.com
or call 0151 794 2431.
(1) A 'Quiet Place' : Supporting Children
and Families Under Stress, Bob Spalding, University of Liverpool,
2000. To read this report visit www.isec2000.org.uk/abstracts/papers_s/spalding_1.htm
| 80px.gif)
