Social and emotional learning (SEL) programmes for looked after children

Looked after children often face challenges such as disrupted attachments, instability in their home lives and experiences of trauma or neglect. These can affect their ability to regulate emotions, manage relationships and feel confident in learning. Our Skills for Life programmes provide an evidence-based way to strengthen looked after children’s resilience and improve wellbeing, relationships and school engagement.

Individual schools and multi academy trusts

Schools supporting one or more looked after children can deliver the programmes flexibly, either within class groups, targeted groups, or in one-to-one sessions where needed. The structured activities give staff practical tools to:

• Create safe spaces where children can explore feelings and worries
• Help children prepare for key transitions, such as moving to secondary school or into a new placement
• Strengthen children’s confidence, resilience and readiness to learn

Virtual Schools

Virtual Schools can use Skills for Life programmes as part of a coordinated approach to supporting the mental health and educational progress of all looked after children in their area. By training designated teachers, learning mentors or school staff to deliver the programmes, virtual schools can build capacity within schools to deliver mental health promotion work.

Feedback from carers, teachers and virtual schools shows that children who take part in the Skills for Life programmes feel more confident, better able to cope with change, and more engaged in school life.

“When preparing effective personal education plans for the looked after children within our school, we were given information around evidence-based interventions recommended by our Virtual School for Looked After Children and Zippy's Friends/Apple's Friends/Passport was on the list. We researched the programmes and could see on the website, and through the sample plans available, that this intervention would be perfect for looked after children at our school.” - Family Support Worker, Blackpool

An Assistant Educational Psychologist from Lincolnshire shared the following feedback from a carer of a child who took part in the Apple’s Friends programme before transitioning to secondary school:

“I can’t believe the difference in him. He was a little nervous about starting secondary school, but nothing like I thought he would be. He’s coped so well with the transition thanks to the Apple’s Friends workshops you did with him. So I just want to say thank you and I hope you do them again at some point this year with his brother.”

Find out more about our Skills for Life programmes and book onto training here: Our Skills for Life programmes