Our Positive Transitions service supported Ella in school and provided her with a safe space in which she could share her emotions and struggles.
Youth & Family Coordinator Nicola started supporting Ella in 2022, as she was struggling with emotional dysregulation in school. She didn’t have the support network she needed to be able to discuss issues in school which made learning and interacting with other children difficult. This also affected her life at home, as after having bottled up her emotions throughout the day, Ella would experience regular outbursts.
When this issue was raised with the school Ella began meeting Nicola as part of our Positive Transitions service, which supports children, young people and families in the transition to secondary school.
Though their sessions started off as small chats, as Ella got to learn more about Nicola, she felt comfortable letting her know about how difficult school life had become as she was unable to process and speak about her emotions. Nicola devised a plan that would best meet Ella’s needs and turned their sessions into journaling time.
Journaling jamboree
Nicola began work to make sure that Ella could have the support she needed in all aspects of her life, working with Ella’s mum and the school to elaborate on what they learned in their sessions and what they could implement to help Ella.
In their journaling sessions, Ella could express her emotions and feelings through writing, rather than letting them build up all day in school. Feeling more at ease and having this outlet meant they could work on how to handle emotions, discuss emotional behaviour, and find ways that she could feel comfortable to express her concerns in school.
On top of this emotional support, Ella and Nicola spent many an afternoon doing arts and crafts, providing opportunities to show off her creative side. Her favourite was making a dream catcher butterfly.
Through her discussions with the school and Ella’s teacher, Nicola provided updates on Ella’s progress and what she enjoyed in their sessions, allowing the school to continue this support in class and create an environment that would help Ella express herself.
The sessions have made an incredible difference in Ella’s school life, she’s coming home happy and tells her teacher how much she enjoys spending time with Nicola!
Help us continue this work
As a charity all our support is free, and we rely on funding to make it possible and give us the tools we need to provide more life-changing support to children across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
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