This teacher resource is split into two collections of short films:
- Teacher training videos - experts offer advice on how to support care-experienced young people.
- Real testimonies from care-experienced young people - animations exploring stories of care-experienced and adopted young people, told by the young people themselves.
Teacher training videos
1. Defining care experience. video
A short film about the term 鈥榗are-experienced鈥 and how being in care will impact a child, from the adversities faced to the impact it will have on their core beliefs and identity.
2. A trauma-informed approach. video
A short film about the impact of trauma and how a trauma-informed approach can offer support to a traumatised child within a school setting.
3. How can we do more? video
A short film about actionable next steps teachers and schools can take to support care-experienced young people, with a focus on inclusion and supporting them through transitions.
These three teacher training videos explore what it means to educate and support care-experienced young people through a trauma-informed approach.
A trauma-informed approach is one which has a strong focus on support, building relationships and sensitivity to past experiences. It is an ethos that can shape every interaction in school, including how staff listen and react to each other, as well as students and parents or guardians of students.
A trauma-informed approach should be considered when showing and discussing these films with colleagues:
- The issues discussed may feel personal or triggering to some colleagues taking part
- It is important to signpost breaks and to give those involved in training the opportunity to leave discreetly or not to feel pressure to take part in discussions
- Encourage broad discussion. Some discussion points allow for reflection on day-to-day emotions and how they shape our work as adults. However, it may be worth actively flagging in advance that the experiences of individuals around themes such as trauma or childhood will not be discussed.
Real testimonies from care-experienced young people
Molly's Story - Navigating school when you are adopted. video
A short animated film, using real testimony, about adoption and what it can be like navigating school and peer relationships when you are adopted.
Tai鈥檚 Story - The impact of going into foster care. video
A short animated film, using real testimony from Tai (not her real name), on the impact going into foster care can have, leaving a young person feeling disconnected from peers and afraid to express herself.
Elliot's Story - Being moved around the care system. video
A short animated film, using real testimony, about a young person struggling with feelings of worthlessness and anger after being moved from a neglectful home into the care system.
These three short animated films explore stories of care-experienced and adopted young people, told by the young people themselves.
The films are presented here as part of a teacher training resource, to raise awareness of the experiences of looked-after or adopted children. They might also be used with small groups of care-experienced children as part of an intervention or pastoral care approach. Depending on your cohort, they might also be suitable to share in class. Due to the nature of the content they are most suitable for use with pupils in upper KS3 (ages 11 to 14) and above, but could also be considered (using teacher discretion) for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11).
In a classroom setting, the films could be used, individually or together, to explore and challenge perceptions and understanding of 鈥榝amily鈥, and to raise awareness of the experiences of children and young people in the UK care system. The direct insight into individuals鈥 thoughts, feelings and experiences can also be used to generate empathy towards care-experienced children, what it can be like for them adjusting to life with a new family or with carers, and the effects that these continuous transitions can have on feelings and behaviour. The films could also generate discussion around creative emotional expression as examples of narrative and creative depiction via imagery of personal feelings and emotions.
Please note that these films should not be used in isolation, but as part of a planned programme of learning within Relationships and Health Education or PSHE. Teachers may wish to integrate them within existing lessons about family relationships, and/or explorations of feelings and emotions connected to relationships. Use of the films should be carefully considered and not without previous viewing or planning of related discussion.
Further support
As the , schools in England and Wales must now have a designated member of staff to promote the educational achievement of looked-after and previously-looked-after children on the school鈥檚 roll, providing a person from whom advice and support can be sought.
Further information and guidance may be obtained from external organisations, including those listed below:
- is a charity connecting and supporting those across the adoption community. They have a helpline, and welcome calls from all including adoptees, adopters, kinship carers and those in their support network: 0300 666 0006
- is a charity for children in care and young care leavers. They have a care advice line to provide support and advice about the care system: 0800 023 2033
- is a charity that finds adoptive families for children, and supports children, young people and their families. They also provide training and resources for educators.
- is a charity that offers help and advice to care-experienced individuals and have .
- 91热爆 Action Line has more links to helpful organisations for if you, or someone you know, has been affected by issues for young people.
- 91热爆 Bitesize has an article for young people on how to support care-experienced friends at school.