Individual, Group and Whole Class Interventions
Table of Contents
ASD – Wellbeing Toolkit |
10 sessions for part of the programme or 30 sessions for the full programme supporting the development of good mental health and wellbeing in children and young people with autism. Written by Tina Rae and Amy Such. The sessions aim to: • Promote personal and social skills development • Develop pupils’ self-esteem and self-awareness • Empower young people to explore the many aspects of sexuality and healthy personal relationships • Encourage pupils to accept personal responsibility for keeping the mind and body safe and healthy This intervention can be delivered in full, or sessions can be selected based on child/young person need. Part 1 – Me & My Mental Health (includes 10 sessions) Part 2 – Relationships and Communication (includes 10 sessions) Part 3 – My toolkit for Wellbeing and Future Health (includes 10 sessions) Sessions include resilience, self-esteem, non-verbal communication, relationships, and online behaviours. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected. Group size: individual or group (N = 6) Cost for 10 sessions: Partner School: £550 / Non-Partner School: £600 |
Biofeedback |
8-sessions working 1:1 with a child on a bespoke relaxation and emotional regulation programme Working 1:1 with a child on a bespoke relaxation and emotional regulation programme, biofeedback teaches a child to manage their emotions. Biofeedback is the process of increasing your self-awareness of the physiological internal states we experience with extreme emotions using instruments that provide information about the activity of these states, with a goal of being able to manipulate and manage them. Biofeedback can come in several forms including skin conductance, electrodermal activity, muscle tensions, heart rate variability and neurofeedback. These tend to be measured by equipment such as finger clips. Research has found that alpha neurofeedback training has influenced working memory performance on tasks that rely on the visuo-spatial sketchpad, which allow us to remember how things look ( e.g., shape and colour). Children will then be taught relaxation techniques to control their internal states, giving them the skills to be able to self-regulate when feeling strong emotions (anxiety, anger etc). Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. Cost: Partner School: £500 / Non-Partner School £550 |
EPIC – Calm |
6-sessions group work to recognise unhealthy behaviours and the impact they have on our mental wellbeing Calm is a chance for us to take a break from the busy week to learn about how breathing, diet, exercise, and sleep are all essential to our wellbeing. We’ll look at our mobile phone use and how to create a healthy balance. We’ll learn some techniques and exercises to take away which will help us to balance ourselves in our hectic and demanding lives. It’s important for our young people to recognise unhealthy behaviours and the impact they can have on our mental wellbeing. Sharing strategies to help with anxieties, stress and worries, this programme will help Calm our young learners. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. Cost: Partner School: £500 / Non-Partner School £550 was found on how the students perceive they cope with stress and anxiety |
EPIC – Comic Strip Conversations |
Comic Strip Conversations is a technique that was first developed by Carol Gray as a follow on from her work developing Social Stories. Comic Strips help develop a student’s understanding of a social interaction and helps the student to know how to behave/react in different social interactions. It’s a natural follow on from Social Stories and tends to work best with older children and young people from the ages of 10 upwards – depending on their level of maturity. Each comic strip is created individually to the student in mind. Cost: Partner School: £15 / Non-Partner School £20 |
EPIC – Cool Minds |
The intervention aims to provide children with a level of psychoeducation to help them to understand their anxiety and provide them with strategies to cope with excessive worry. For children with anxiety, it is thought that negative thinking styles can exacerbate the negative emotions of anxiety and fear. Cognitive Behavioural Theory (CBT) for anxiety aims to identify and manage these negative thoughts. Using this model, psychologists suggest that if you can change the way you think, you can change the way you feel and behave. The ‘Cool Minds’ programme is underpinned by CBT principles and whilst the intervention is not CBT, it uses the theoretical principles behind it to scaffold the children’s learning through managing their thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. This programme includes 10 sessions and has both a primary and secondary version available. Group size: up to 6 children Optional: This programme is available for staff to be coached in to deliver this themselves. Child Group Cost: Partner School: £550 / non-Partner School: £600 Child Group & Parent Group Cost: Partner School: £800 / non-Partner School: £875 |
EPIC – Sunbites |
7- week session group intervention to support young people to manage anxiety, build self-esteem and confidence This is an intervention programme based on the EPIC Sunflowers curriculum (see below). Based on the Resilience Framework (adapted from Daniel & Wassell, 2002) the aim is to develop resilience skills to enable young people to better manage feelings of anxiety, build self-esteem and confidence. The intervention focused on the key skills of: Using body clues to identify feelings • Expected and unexpected behaviours • Recognising and managing feelings of overwhelm in self and others Self-regulation skills Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. This group can be delivered by either an assistant psychologist or jointly with a member of school staff supporting. If delivered jointly then materials and coaching is provided to school staff to enable them to deliver subsequent groups. Group size: up to 8 children Cost: Partner School: £500 / non-Partner School: £550 |
EPIC – Sunflowers |
A one-year curriculum delivered once a week The programme was written based on the Resilience Framework (adapted from Daniel & Wassell, 2002) with the aim of providing a whole-school response to developing resilience. The aim of the programme is to develop staff, children and families’ protective factors. Sunflowers is an academic year-long programme where children, staff and family activities run in parallel with each other. The programme also aims to develop Discovery’s core values which are woven throughout the programme. The programme is designed to support the development of resilience and mental wellbeing of primary school children and build teacher confidence in exploring these issues with children. It aims to: • Support children to develop compassion, empathy, and tolerance in their relationships with others. • Provide children with strategies and skills to help them cope with challenge and develop resilience. • Provide opportunity for children to practise social communication and pro-social skills. • Support children to understand that experiencing adversity and trauma can happen to anyone. • Recognise the importance of positive, nurturing relationships in developing child resilience and providing a buffer against adversity. • Support children to understand that they have the right to be protected and supported by the adults in their lives. Cost to purchase Sunflowers curriculum: Partner School: £500 / non-Partner School: £550 Cost for assistant to run the first 8 weeks of Sunflowers curriculum and a supervision session: Partner School: £500 / non-Partner School: £550 |
EPIC – Viewpoints |
8-session group work teaching social processing skills. This is a programme utilises much of the work of Michelle Garcia Winner and Social Thinking. The programme teaches attention & awareness, perspective taking & empathy, expected behaviours and solving problems. It teaches young people the skills needed to be effective social processors. To read others’ emotions and to understand their own. To recognise how our bodies react to emotions and that some contrasting emotions can feel similar to each other. It also teaches that people can feel and act differently in situation and that sometimes people act/react in ways we don’t expect. It introduces flexible thinking and practices how we can look at situations differently. It develops problem solving skills, explaining that there is usually more than one option available and it’s okay to ask for help. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. This group can be delivered by either an assistant psychologist or jointly with a member of school staff supporting. If delivered jointly then materials and coaching is provided to school staff to enable them to deliver subsequent groups. Versions available for both primary and secondary aged children and young people. Accompanying parent workshops are also available. Group size: up to 8 children Cost: Partner School: £500 / non-Partner School: £550 |
Creative Play with a pinch of SALT |
6-sessions for parents and their children to attend after school. Co-written by EPIC Psychology and Discovery SALT. This group is for parents and their children (EYFS & KS1 mainly) to attend after school. Based on Solihull Approach principles and some of the work of Margot Sunderland, this intervention aims to facilitate creative play and nurture relationships between parents and their children and increase wellbeing through creative and fun play activities. EPIC have designed the programme to achieve the following: • Opportunities for self-expression • Variety of sensory experiences for the children • Variety of skills can be demonstrated and learnt • Opportunities for adults to model behaviour • Activities that require joint attention and teamwork • Opportunities for quality time between parent and child • Ideas for parents on how to play with their child • Mutual interest and shared enjoyment between parent and child Group size: up to 8 children and 8 parents Cost: TBC (delivered by psychology and SALT assistant) Available as a FREE resource downloaded from www.epicleics.com |
Growing Talents for Learning |
6-sessions for group or whole class developing positive learning skills (talents) culminating in a class enterprise project Based on the work of Northamptonshire Educational Psychology Service, this psycho-education programme is a structured, creative and fun way to teach children about positive learning skills. The programme contains six session plans and resources that facilitate a way to understand and explore key skills in working together. The programme covers the key skills (talents) of: • Positive attitude • Knowing own feelings • Caring for others • Working together • Problem solving • Listening Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected. This group can be delivered by either an assistant psychologist or jointly with a member of school staff supporting. If delivered jointly then materials and coaching is provided to school staff to enable them to deliver subsequent groups. Optional: 3 supervision sessions for staff being coached in delivering this intervention. Group size: group or whole class Cost: PS: £400 / NPS: £450 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
JEDI |
12-session group work teaching social inferencing and perspective taking skills. Co-written by EPIC Psychology and Discovery SALT. The JEDI intervention is designed to encourage social inferencing and perspective taking to better predict the consequences of one’s own actions. It aims to encourage 4 skills: • Judging • Emotion regulation • Decision making Inferencing These 4 skills will help support pupils to understand the events around them and to predict what the best response could be. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected. Group size: up to 6 children or delivered 1:1 for a more bespoke approach. Cost: PS: £625 NPS: £695 (Led by an Assistant Psychologist & SALT assistant) |
Massage in Schools Programme (MISP) |
4-5 week class session for children aged 4-12 years. MISP is an international movement providing a high quality, peer massaging programme. The programme aims to implement the nurturing of touch into children’s daily lives to promote better wellbeing, and an increase prosocial behaviour, concentration, and regulation. Up to 8 children: the group work collaboratively over the course of 8 weeks in sessions of 1 hour. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. • 1.5 hour staff and governors meeting • Ages 4-7 years: 5 x 30 minutes • Ages 8-12 years: 4 x 30 minutes Cost: PS: £2,500 / NPS: £2,750 for initial training (Led by an educational psychologist) An Educational Psychologist will need to come in each year to train the new cohort. Cost: PS: £210 / NPS: £260 |
Seasons for Growth Programme (SFG) |
9-week group session for children and young people who have experienced significant change or loss.
Seasons for Growth is a programme for children, young people who have experienced significant change or loss. It is based on the belief that change, loss and grief are a normal and valuable part of life. Using the metaphor of the seasons, we examine the impact of changes such as death, separation, divorce, and natural disaster on our lives, and explore how we can learn to live with and grow from these experiences. • 1.5-hour staff meeting • 9 x weekly sessions (40-50 minutes) • 2 x reconnector sessions (40-50 minutes) Cost: PS: £1,200 / NPS: £1,400 (Led by an educational psychologist) |
Solihull Approach Parenting Programme |
10 weeks group session for parents to help understand their child’s behaviour and be more in tune with their feelings through reflection.
The Solihull Approach Parenting Group is intended for parents and carers who want to know more about sensitive and effective parenting. The Solihull Approach Parenting Group aims to: • Promote understanding of children’s behaviour within the context of developmental issues. • Promote the development of parent/child reciprocity. • Increase confidence and self-esteem in both parents and children. • Gives parents a strategy for repair when things go wrong. • Develop a framework of thinking about parent/child relationships which can be developed into a lifelong skill. • Promote reflective, sensitive, and effective parenting. 10-week programme (2 hour session per week) for up to 12 parents Cost: PS: £1,600 / NPS: £1,800 (Led by an educational psychologist plus member of school staff who is trained in Solihull Approach Foundation training) |
My EPIC Brain |
8-sessions group or whole class work teaching children how to take control of their emotional regulation. This psycho-education programme is a structured, creative and fun way to teach children how to take control of their emotional regulation. The programme contains session plans and resources that facilitate a way to understand and explore what happens in children’s brains and bodies when managing feelings as a foundation to learn coping strategies and calm their nervous systems. These sessions also aim to develop children’s empathy and understanding for those that are dysregulated. EPIC have designed the programme to cover the key components of: Secure base & Resilience Framework • Emotional Literacy & Self-awareness • Zones of Regulation • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy principles Modelling & Empathy Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected. Group size: group or whole class This group can be delivered by either an assistant psychologist or jointly with a member of school staff supporting. If delivered jointly then materials and coaching is provided to school staff to enable them to deliver subsequent groups. Cost: PS: £500 / NPS: £550 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Secure Base Intervention |
6-sessions group work building the child’s trust, self-esteem and sense of belonging. The Secure Base Model (Gillian & Beek, 2010) is widely used in social work and with looked after children. Utilising the latest research this intervention develops skills in each area of the Secure Base: • Availability • Sensitivity • Acceptance • Co-operative • Belonging Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected. This group is led by an assistant psychologist with a member of school staff supporting. At the end of the intervention all materials are provided to school to enable you to run it yourselves. Up to 8 children: the group work collaboratively over the course of 6 weeks in 1 hour sessions. Cost: PS: £400 / NPS: £450 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Theraplay® Sunshine Circles |
8-sessions group work developing emotional awareness and regulation through the power of Theraplay®. A Sunshine Circle group is informed by the principles of Theraplay® and follows the core approach of Structure, Engagement, Nurture and Play. Up to 8 children: the group work collaboratively over the course of 8 weeks in sessions of 1 hour. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. Cost: PS: £2,000 / NPS: £2,200 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Therapeutic Story Writing |
10-sessions group work developing emotional awareness and regulation through the power of story writing. Therapeutic Story writing targets the development of emotional awareness and regulation. It addresses the ‘emotional’ and the ‘behavioural’ aspects of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, whilst developing children’s literacy skills. Story-writing allows a child to have the ability to feel, create and think, resulting in a positive change that affects decision-making and self-esteem. This group benefits children that may have anxiety, worries and/or difficulties with expressing themselves. Using the magic of stories to covey concepts that they may otherwise find difficult. Up to 8 children: the group work collaboratively over the course of 10 weeks in sessions 1 hour. Pre & Post Evaluation to be collected– individual reports provided. Cost: PS: £600 / NPS: £650 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
1:1 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy |
Up to 6-sessions working 1:1 with a child on a bespoke therapy intervention based on cognitive behavioural therapy Cognitive behavioural sessions focus on helping children to understand that their thoughts, feelings and actions are all linked. If we change our unhelpful thinking to helpful thinking, then we can have more positive feelings and actions. The sessions will teach the children to recognise thought patterns and unhelpful thinking. They will then have the opportunity to practice techniques to adjust their thinking, which in time becomes easier to implement in day-to-day life. This will see positive changes in the way the children then express themselves. Cost: PS: £300 / NPS £350 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
1:1 Solution Focused Therapy |
Up to 6-sessions working 1:1 with a child on a bespoke therapy intervention based on solution focused therapy
The child is encouraged to imagine their future as they want it to be and then with the assistant psychologist, collaborate on a series of steps to achieve that goal. The sessions involve exploring and reviewing the child’s vision, and determining what skills, resources, and abilities the child will develop and use to attain their desired outcome. Cost: PS: £300 / NPS £350
(Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Understanding your Neurodiversity |
Five session group work focusing providing psychoeducation surrounding the diagnosis of autism, ADHD and dyslexia as well as emphasising the amazing unique talents these bring. The intervention aims to provide children with a level of psychoeducation to help them to understand their neurodiversity such as autism, ADHD or dyslexia diagnosis. For children with neurodiversity it can be difficult for them to understand what their diagnosis means for them. This intervention will help them to understand what their diagnosis means and also how it impacts of them – both the difficulties it can cause but also the unique talents. Group size: up to 6 young people
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EPIC Unite |
5-sessions for group or whole class to celebrate different thinking styles in order to achieve teamwork in the classroom.
This intervention is aimed at classes or groups of students who may struggle to take part in group work due to the variety of different ways of communicating.
The intervention focuses on the following key topics: • Gaining an understanding of neurodiversity. • Understanding everyone is unique. • Understanding the strengths and differences that exist within neurodiversity’s in the classroom. • Building team work skills.
Pre & Post Evaluation will be collected. Group size: group or whole class
Cost: £450 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Specialist Assessments
ADOS – Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule |
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is a standardized diagnostic assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder. It consists of a series of interactive semi-structured and structured tasks tailored to the child’s level. The trained professionals will observe for the presence or absence of behaviours that are important to the diagnosis of Autism. ADOS is not a standalone assessment but significantly contributes towards a multidisciplinary team discussion around diagnosis. 90-minute assessment Cost: PS: £650 / NPS £685 (Led by an educational psychologist) |
Emotional Wellbeing Survey |
An online emotional wellbeing survey written by EPIC for children in Y2-Y6. A level of analysis will be completed depending on your line of enquiry; e.g. which year groups worry most and what do they worry about? Cost: PS: £250 / NPS £300 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Sociogram |
Based on the work of Robin Banerjee, aims are to aid staff understanding of the peer relationships in their classroom and identify individual that may need additional support. Strategies to develop positive peer relationships in the classroom will be provided in the report. Cost: PS: £250 / NPS £300 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Sensory Profile Assessment |
This assessment will provide an overview of a child’s sensory needs in relation to each of their senses. The outcome of this assessment will be a better understanding of the child’s sensory profile in order to help them function more successfully in the classroom. This assessment does not provide an identification of sensory processing difficulties which would usually be provided by an appropriately trained Sensory Integration Practitioner. The assessment is supervised by an educational psychologist and includes a meeting with the school, a meeting with the parent and an observation of the child in school. Cost: PS: £250 / NPS £300 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
Sensory Environmental Audit |
This assessment will provide an overview of the classroom and school environment from a sensoryfriendly perspective. The assessment is supervised by an educational psychologist and includes a learning journey around the school and a meeting with the SENCo. Cost: PS: £250 / NPS £300 (Led by an assistant psychologist) |
