The JournalMaking a lifetime of difference to children in schools

Welcome

Our mission

Our vision

Our valuesPerseveranceIntegrityCompassionCreativity Mission, vision and values Inside front cover

Introduction from HRH The Duchess of Cambridge 1Letter from our Chief Executive 2Who we are and what we do 4Why we are needed 6Training 8Our stories 10Collaboration 20Aspirations 22Funding and getting involved 24Where we operate Back cover

Contents

Each day, thousands of children and parents tell us about the difficult challenges they face.

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page 12To enhance the wellbeing and prospects of children and their families by providing access to therapeutic and emotional support in schools, using a proven model backed up by research and training.

A world where children have the opportunity to grow up with prospects rather than problems.

The identities of the children and parents supported by Place2Be have been changed.

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Letter from our Chief Executive

Place2Be has come a very long way on our journey of innovation and discovery. Building on our systematic process of research and self-evaluation, we have developed a sustainable and scalable school-based service that supports the mental health and wellbeing of children – and their families and teachers – across the UK.

We are, however, aware that we cannot capture the immediate or long-term effect on a child when they are suddenly struck by sad circumstances such as losing someone they love, or coping with an incident that rocks the community where they live and go to school.

We are delighted and amazingly proud that HRH The Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to become our Royal Patron, shining a spotlight on children’s mental health and the importance of intervening early. Childhood only comes once and investing in children’s mental health is about enabling them to fulfil their potential.

We are invited into schools by the Head teachers who know there are children who are not engaging with their learning as their heads are too full of worries, and consequently their ability to succeed is muted. There is a sense of hopelessness in their families and communities: a cycle that collectively we can break.

I remember with great feeling the mother who rose next to her upstanding husband at a Being is Believing visit in one of our schools. Their eldest son had

The best ideas are the simple ones. These are the big enduring ideas that make such a positive impact. With so many children suffering all sorts of distress and anxiety it needed a big idea to make a difference. Place2Be created a “safe space” where young people can communicate and explore how to feel better and get more out of life. Brilliant. Simple. Powerful. One day all children and all schools will have a place to be.”Adrian Hosford was Place2Be’s Champion at British Telecom, our first corporate funder

committed suicide. He had been found by the father and their six-year-old son, who since then refused to leave her side, stopped eating and wouldn’t go to school. They had tried everything to no avail. Place2Be arrived in his school. In tears she said “My husband hasn’t spoken since he was mugged but we both want you all to know that we would do anything for Place2Be. It has changed my son’s life and it has changed our family’s, too.”

So I thank everyone involved in Place2Be’s journey. Our teams around the UK, our professionally trained Volunteer Counsellors, the children, parents and carers who trust and use our support, the schools and funders for choosing to invest in our services, the ever increasing number of people who take advantage of our professional qualifications training courses and everyone who works tirelessly and with passion to ensure that we continue to deliver an exemplary model that really makes a difference to the lives of children.

In these economically challenging times some may say “We can’t afford to invest in this.” At Place2Be we say “We can’t afford not to.”

With thanks to all for your belief and support, without which we could not develop and reach more children.

Benita Refson OBE,Chief Executive

We have all embarked on journeys that have gone awry, but I am happy to say that over the last 19 years Place2Be has always been heading in the right direction.

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Coping with lossPrimary school, London

Lily, Year 3, was referred to Place2Be by her mum because she was self-harming. There was a history of domestic violence in the family and Lily’s parents were now separated. Lily lived with her mum and the three-year-old son of her 18-year old sister who had lost all contact with the family.

In her counselling, Lily used the doll’s house and the small world figures to enact a recurring scenario. The children would be in their beds feeling scared; the mum was asleep watching television. When I asked what was scaring the children, Lily took the scariest dinosaur figure and stuck its head inside, growling angrily. She told me that the children hid in the bottom of the wardrobe under the clothes, or in the washing basket so that no one would know they were there.

One day Lily showed me how to draw a dog with a big nose. She had been to see her dad in prison and a dog with a big nose had sniffed her all over. She told me that it felt funny and sad: “Funny because the dog tickled me; sad because my dad drew me a picture of a flower. He said it was a lily and that every time he looks at it, he will think of me.” Through her play, Lily was trying to reconcile the dad whom she adored and missed very much and the terrifying man who perpetrated the violence that led her to hide in the wardrobe or washing basket to keep herself safe.

Volunteer Counsellor

The School Project Manager (SPM) returned to school for an INSET day after the Christmas break to find staff in a state of shock. The Head teacher’s first words were “Thank goodness you’re here!”

Tragedy had struck over the holidays: an apparently healthy child had contracted a virus and died. The SPM had last seen the child healthy and vibrant at Place2Talk just before Christmas.

Sadly the school had suffered several other bereavements in recent years and the impact of these had been a significant factor in the Head teacher’s drive to start up a Place2Be project.

This most recent death was especially poignant as one of these bereavements was this child’s sibling (also a pupil at the school), who died after a long illness. Many parents, children and staff knew the family well and there was great concern as to how the school community would cope with this double tragedy.

Immediate support and advice was offered by the borough’s educational psychology team. Drawing on previous

experience, school staff responded confidently and sympathetically, maintaining a calm and safe atmosphere, allowing sufficient space for shared and individual expressions of grief for both adults and children.

The SPM provided support to all children in the first weeks of term, including circle time for the deceased child’s class and small group support for close friends. She made herself available to parents and school staff, and also attended the funeral.

The longer-term impact is being monitored. The SPM has supported individual children who have been particularly affected by this death, and several children have started to use Place2Talk to revisit their feelings about the bereavement.

Place2Be has played a vital role within the school in response to this tragic event. The relationship between the school and Place2Be has deepened; there is a growing sense of shared history and purpose as they continue their work together supporting children and families in the community.

1 in 10 children aged between five and 16 years has a mental health problem, and many continue to have mental health problems into adulthood.

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Who we are and what we doPlace2Be provides integrated school-based mental health and emotional support services, supporting 75,000 children in 200 schools across some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

W e’ve worked with many charity partners over the years and

have been very impressed with Place2Be in terms of their credibility, trustworthiness, professionalism and total passion and belief in what they do.

They are, quite simply, helping to deliver a better equipped – and emotionally able – future generation. The impact of their work today will have its silent showcase in years to come: silent because you won’t read about the happy and well-adjusted children – with good attainment levels – who had their emotional problems resolved at primary school. You’ll only read about the ones who didn’t – the ones who could not manage their emotions, became aggressive and angry and took the wrong path – and you’ll probably hear about them in the papers or in the news.

Pam Webb,Head of Zurich Community Trust

Based in the heart of the community, we provide tailored support – one-to-one counselling, a self-referral service and group work – to meet the individual needs of children aged 4-14, their parents, carers and teachers, helping them to cope with wide-ranging and often complex social issues including bullying, bereavement, domestic violence, family breakdown, neglect and trauma. We provide a range of professional qualifications for those interested in increasing their skill set or becoming a children’s counsellor.

Place2Be continues to have an enormous impact in terms of children’s personal, social and emotional development. Place2Be’s contribution to children’s spiritual, social, moral, and cultural (SMSC) learning across the curriculum is profound.”Liz Day, Head teacher, Oldfield Primary School, Ealing

I feel safe in the Place2Be room to talk about the things which scare me and worry me.”Girl, Year 5

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I still remember the Saturday in 1995 when I first read about the embryonic Place2Be in The Guardian – even the

chair I was sitting in at the time. And I won’t forget the impact that having Place2Be in my school eventually made to the many pupils (and, in some cases, their parents) who turned to it for help in dealing with their emotional turmoil. The pleasure of watching it grow into the nationwide charity it has become is further compensation for the seemingly endless lobbying, pleading and (with the help of some far-sighted staff in the Medway and

Kent education authorities) creative use of budgets that was needed to secure the future of the project in our school.

Much is rightly made of how Place2Be promotes children’s emotional health: but it also provides vital support for the adults in schools who have to ‘pick up the pieces’ of our modern society – a responsibility easily ignored in a system driven by academic results and league tables. Given its unique contribution to the welfare and life-chances of vulnerable children, its spread to schools across the country – and the recognition and

awards it has received – has been a natural progression. I’m proud to have been involved.

Ray Morris, former Head teacher of Lordswood School, Chair of the Medway Steering Group and now Professional Advisor to Place2Be

Place2Be now works in 10 schools in Medway

A day in the life of a Place2Be School Project Manager Lorraine, a Place2Be School Project Manager at a primary school, originally volunteered with Place2Be in 2006. Prior to this she managed an award- winning project supporting long-term unemployed adults and hard-to-engage young people.

Arriving at school at 8:00 am, I check my emails. There are messages from head office, our Hub Manager, colleagues and a Volunteer Counsellor. The school’s Head teacher stops by to discuss how to handle two problematic children who may need to be referred to our one-to-one counselling service.

I arrange to meet the children to check progress and get feedback from the Inclusion Team on a child being supported by Place2Be. We agree how Place2Be can help ensure the best possible outcome for the child.

Then I find a child crying outside my office door. Her nan is very ill in hospital; we talk and she draws a picture. She leaves saying she feels better for having talked to me: we agree she can access Place2Talk whenever she needs. Emptying the Place2Talk post box, request slips tumble onto the floor – a child rushes

to help. “You have to see everyone, don’t you?” he asks. I laugh and agree that I have to try!

I assess which children to see and let them know at break time. A number ask “Am I coming today?” Wishing there were more hours in the day, I reassure those that have put in requests that I will get to them!

Back at my desk, a teacher asks to meet me later because she is having difficulties with a child in her class. Then I go to the nursery to read a book on friendships. It’s a good opportunity to raise awareness of Place2Be in the school.

I grab a quick bite in the staff room before I meet the children at our lunchtime Place2Talk sessions. I see four groups of children with a range of issues and one potential significant cause for concern. I notify the Head teacher who is the school’s Child Protection Officer. We agree to meet with mum.

I supervise the Volunteer Counsellor and map out how she can work most effectively with a child with challenging issues. I meet the teacher to discuss the child: he is being bullied and his dad and his new wife have just had a baby. I will do group work in her class and have time with the child individually the next day.

I end the day where I started – answering my emails…

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Children’s emotional difficulties cause them problems with relationships at home and at school, and can limit potential by affecting their own ability to learn and by disrupting other children’s education.

Why we are needed

Helping to build resilienceEric Taylor, Emeritus Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry

The children Place2Be sees are very much at-risk for mental health problems in the future – not only because of deprivation, but because many of them describe living in conflict-ridden households or with parents who suffer from mental illnesses or addictions; or in family breakup; or encountering serious difficulties with peers such as bullying.

Developmental research has emphasised the importance of mental qualities in the children for creating resilience: the ability to think constructively about oneself, and one’s situation; to make some life plans effectively; and to believe that one is an effective agent in the world and not simply a victim of circumstance. All these things are targets that we address in counselling – by encouraging children to put their experiences into words or images; to think about their own reactions to them; to understand that they are not alone and others have been able to cope with severe stresses; and even to become stronger for the experience.

Place2Be has been able to make itself both effective and credible by monitoring its activities carefully. We use standard measures of mental wellbeing to find out whether we are being as helpful to the children as we want to be.

Our research staff and Research Advisory Group have a crucial role: they not only help to show the outside world that we are doing a good job; they also

inform the whole organisation about where and how we can improve our services.

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1 in10is subject to a Child Protection Plan

>50%Over half receive Free School Meals (FSM) – over twice the national average

>50%Over half have some degree of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Are over twice as likely to be from lone parent households

The impact of our servicesIn 2011/12, 21,700 children made 73,605 visits to Place2Talk, our self-referral service. 3,683 children received one-to-one and group counselling.

Of the children who came for one-to-one counselling: • Four out of 10 children said that their

difficulties affected their families, friends and teachers.

• Parents said that over half of children seen had difficulties that significantly impacted on their home life and on the family.

• Teachers said that over two-thirds of children had difficulties which interfered with their own classroom

learning. Almost half had difficulties which create significant problems for their teacher or the whole class.

• Two-thirds of children supported by Place2Be had improved emotional and mental wellbeing, according to their teachers.

• According to teachers, the greatest improvements were for conduct problems and hyperactivity. Children and parents reported the greatest improvements for emotional symptoms and conduct problems.

For children whose difficulties were having a significant impact on their day-to-day lives before coming to Place2Be: • Parents reported that home life

improved for seven out of 10 children.

Why I became a Volunteer Counsellor Derek Wood, Former Volunteer Counsellor

We all become one for a reason. We all have a story.

Mine was of a lost baby boy who was stunned and stunted by male violence, uncertain because there were no safe havens, no expressions of warmth and love to provide sanctuary. And as a man I saw such boys miserable in their wretchedness, on the streets, bewildered as I was and incapable of making sense of what was happening other than by retreat or through attack. I have always believed men have to stand up, be role models, contain the hurt and anger and allow children to trust in at least one other human being.

To help one small person trust a bigger person was why I volunteered to become a counsellor for Place2Be.

Children supported by Place2Be

• Three-quarters of children reported that the impact of their difficulties on their home life, friendships and relationships with teachers had reduced after counselling.

Many of our children not only suffer from emotional and mental difficulties but are also academically behind, particularly those classified as FSM or SEN. Indeed, preliminary analysis indicates our children’s ability to learn improves after counselling whether the child has conduct, hyperactivity, peer problems or social difficulties. Place2Be is actively researching whether our intervention can help close the academic gap.

Could you change children’s lives by becoming a Volunteer Counsellor? Find out more at: www.place2be.org.uk/volunteer

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For Merchiston, our partnership with Place2Be has been a success on many levels – our Lower Sixth Form boys who participated have developed their communication and listening skills and gained an opportunity to give practical and tangible support to local children who were often living in areas of high social deprivation. The three days of experiential training Place2Be has provided each year have given our pupils a strong understanding of the role that mentors play, the boundaries needed to provide a safe experience for all involved, and an opportunity to practise the skills learned in the training prior to the start of the mentoring relationship. Additionally, the charity has members of staff within the schools for feedback sessions at the end of every visit.

Place2Be’s Mentoring Programme

TrainingAs well as services to schools, Place2Be provides a suite of specialist clinical Professional Qualifications courses, ranging from the introductory Taster Day to the Postgraduate Diploma and Masters in Counselling Children in Schools, validated by the University of East London and accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I would 100% recommend this course…it offers an excellent platform for self-exploration and generates a great deal of opportunity to decide if this form of training/career is suitable for you.” Claire-Marie Langley, Level 2 Certificate Course

47%

One of our boys wrote of his experience in the Mentoring Programme: “I have many memories from the experience, and I was able to use the new skills learnt in every session. However, the most prominent memory for me was when the girl I was mentoring had seen how helpful the experience had been for her and began to make sure I was ok. Her confidence most certainly developed from the mentoring, whereas before she had been a shy girl, unable to have fun, she now was full of life and ready to experience anything.”

Working at local primary schools has been a life-changing experience for the many Merchiston boys who have participated. They have done it to genuinely reach out and to work in partnership with the community. The Merchiston pupils who have mentored with Place2Be’s support have become better, more enriched human beings and leaders. What I find most wonderful is that the primary school children call our boys ‘Big Friends’.

Andrew Hunter, Headmaster, Merchiston School

of our clinical staff started as Volunteer Counsellors

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This course changed my life Hugh Howe

In a way, I have always been analysing things ever since I decided to work with children and young people some 20 years ago. I initially worked for many years in a nursery and often wondered about the children’s behaviours and interactions with each other. Many years later, after working abroad and in education I started the Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Children in Schools with Place2Be.

I found my first term extremely hard; I found myself lost. Place2Be supported me throughout, enabling me to explore the counselling role alongside being able to reflect upon my own experiences. This was hard for me initially as I always avoided thinking about myself. Being one of only two males on the course, I found myself holding onto my masculinity and resisting opening up within the group. However I began to acknowledge that if I wasn’t able to reflect upon my own experiences and feelings as a counsellor, how would I enable children to explore their own feelings? The course was extremely thought-provoking, insightful, fun, challenging and inspiring. I found the course equipped me with the skills, knowledge and confidence to confront my vulnerabilities, developing my work with children therapeutically. Through this I was able to have a much clearer vision, allowing the children’s voices to be heard, and giving the children an opportunity for change. I feel I have become more connected and attuned with myself and so much happier, confident and emotionally available in my work since the course.

There are moments which change our lives forever. For me, along with the birth of my first child, the course has changed my life: my way of thinking, me as a person, relating to others but most importantly working with children. It enabled me to draw upon a range of therapeutic perspectives and to apply the knowledge to my work. These approaches enabled the children the freedom to express themselves and gave them a place to explore their feelings.

My journey has just begun. Through my work, I endeavour to enable the children I work with the same opportunity for change. I will always remember my handshake on my graduation day which was one of my proudest moments. When I was asked how I felt about the course, I said it was “life changing.” Thank you Place2Be: you have changed my life and long may you continue to make a difference to all the children who have the opportunity to work with Place2Be. Since graduating I have been working in a London school counselling children and I will never forget my lecturers, colleagues and all the course has provided me with.

Working directly with children and young people who set fires, the importance of creating a boundaried therapeutic

relationship is key in engendering behaviour change. The training provided by Place2Be has enabled our staff to develop their skills in this crucial area of our work, through theories underpinning the therapeutic relationship to practical strategies to engage children. The training has always been engaging, informative and empowering, led by trainers who model the importance of self-awareness and reflection. The training has also been flexible to our team’s needs, both in terms of bespoke content and the opportunity to train at our own premises or Place2Be. We are excited at the opportunity to be working with Place2Be as we continue to enhance the skills within the team.

Joanna Foster, Manager, Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Scheme, London Fire Brigade

The course has altered the way I communicate with and view others in everyday life.” Claire Jolly, Level 3 Certificate Course

Find out more about Place2Be’s popular training opportunities at: www.place2be.org.uk/training

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Our stories

The day he goes to Place2Be is the only day that is a good day for him, he is much calmer and engaged in class. The other days are very difficult, both for him and me.” Year 2 teacher

I enjoy spending time with my counsellor. I come from a very large family but I feel very lonely.” Boy, Year 6

There’s someone there to support me when I’m sad.” Child, Year 3

Lisa Lisa’s parents split up when she was seven years old and dad left home. Lisa’s mum suffers with depression and she was unable to cope with motherhood following the marriage breakdown. So Lisa was placed in the care of relatives for several months and had to change schools.

When Lisa returned to live with her mum, she began to display aggressive and defiant behaviour, whilst at school she appeared sad and anxious. At the time of the referral mum consented to Lisa having

Place2Be counselling, but she wasn’t able to accept support for herself or think about the impact her depression was having on her daughter.

Lisa’s relationship with her counsellor developed very slowly. She was nervous and reluctant to express any feelings or thoughts about her home life during her sessions but this changed over time. Gradually she felt safe enough to share and work through some painful memories.

Alongside the counselling, the School Project Manager had regular meetings with Lisa’s mum and together they reflected on the positive effect it was having. Lisa is now far less anxious and is visibly happier. Her teacher reports improvements in both her concentration and attendance.

Lisa’s mum has since agreed to attend A Place for Parents so she can further support her daughter.

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11-year-old David lives with his mum. When he was three, he was removed from home due to his parents’ chaotic lifestyle. He spent several months in care before being returned home. Two years later his father committed suicide.

David had recently changed schools and quickly made use of Place2Talk to share the confusion and sadness he felt about his dad’s death.

David was very anxious in school, struggling to settle in or make friends. He often complained of stomach aches and asked to be sent home. Then David started refusing to go to school at all and threatened to run away if made to, so mum sought help from Place2Be.

David began one-to-one counselling. He shared difficult and painful events from his previous school which made the school environment seem intimidating and fearsome. Place2Be helped him cope with these feelings and offered reassurance so he felt calmer and able to stay in school. Place2Be also helped mum to allow David to express his grief around the loss of his dad.

His teacher says he is making progress, particularly in written and language work and attempting new tasks. He regularly attends Place2Talk – often bringing friends – and rarely complains of illness, seeming happier and more relaxed in school.

It helped me by not getting in trouble. And I don’t swear at others, and so I don’t make other children upset.” Child, Year 4

T he charity provides, with real legitimacy, evidence-based outcomes of meaningful upstream interventions for children with emotional and mental health needs.

Place2Be enables those children, who might otherwise be lost to society, to become the children they have the right to be, free-thinking and imaginative. The counselling provided by Place2Be’s hundreds of volunteers allows children to grow and defines who they are and who they can become both as children, and as young adults.

Jon Boutcher, Assistant Chief Constable (Joint Protective Services)

You can browse more of our stories on our website:www.place2be.org.uk/stories

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I came to Place2Be for one year because my dad left. I couldn’t talk to my mum about it. It helped a lot. I used to be really shy. I’m not shy at all now!”Young woman, 17, who was supported by Place2Be in primary school

Our stories continued

T he young people get a lot out of the service. It’s reassuring that Place2Be is here for them – pupils are clearly more settled having been

supported by Place2Be. The issues that we’re seeing are wide-ranging – truanting because of bullying, bereavement, parents splitting up – it’s reassuring that pupils know it’s a service they can access. Having analysed the service, we can see young people are engaged, their attendance has improved, behaviour incidents have reduced, attainment has progressed and exclusions have decreased. Clearly Place2Be has worked smartly with both the young people and with their families.

Clare Stokes, Inclusion Manager, The Bridge Academy, Hackney

When I was in the school office I was asked to meet a parent and her Year 7 child. The child was due to start at the school the following week.

The mother and her three children were living in temporary housing after suddenly having to leave their home in a different borough. There had been a traumatic incident involving armed police at the place where they lived the night before. School staff didn’t feel equipped to deal with their distress and called me over.

I explained what Place2Be is, who I was and what I did. I said to the child, who

was shaky and tearful, that it might seem hard talking to a complete stranger but that she would be able to come and see me once she started. The child said she had been to Place2Be in her previous two schools. I was immediately struck by what a relief it was to both mother and child to find something familiar, trustworthy and consistent in what seemed otherwise to be quite a terrifying world for them both.

Secondary School Project Manager

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I was in the library and a Year 11 student asked me: “Hey, Miss, are you Place2Be? I had Place2Be in Year 7 and it really, really helped me.” School Project Manager, London

Place2Be provides exceptional intervention support for our BESD students (Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties). We have a fantastic School Project Manager (fundamental to the success of the service) who ensures that Place2Be has a high-profile within the school and communicates with all key staff very effectively. I could not recommend the team highly enough. Place2Be at Stewards School offers our Key Stage 3 pupils an exceptional level of therapeutic support and, although it is difficult to measure its impact qualitatively, staff members working at the school have no doubt, whatsoever, that it has benefitted enormously a significant number of students at our school.

Stewards is recognised as an excellent, inclusive school, one that has worked exceptionally hard to meet the needs of all students in our community and this was evidenced by our last two OFSTED reports where we were judged outstanding for all aspects linked to pupil welfare. Place2Be is a key element of the support offered to our pupils.

Keith Naunton, Inclusions Manager, Stewards School, Harlow

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Emotional IntelligenceAs teachers we have a responsibility to develop the whole child.

If a child is unable to keep up with his classmates in phonics we offer him additional provision; if he is behind in maths we make sure he is taken into the next springboard group; if his speech is delayed we call the speech therapist. But what do we do for the child who does not know why he has just thumped his friend, or why his teacher has thrown him out of the class for something she had laughed at previously? In days gone by, such children would have been labelled “troublemakers” and “rude” but thanks to such organisations as Place2Be we are now able to cater for the whole child, including developing their emotional intelligence.

IN AN AVERAGE CLASSROOM: 10 young people will have witnessed their parents separate, one will have experienced the death of a parent, and seven will have been bullied.

Place2Be has taught us that as educators we need to identify and target those children who are not emotionally intelligent – children who cannot read body language or facial expressions, so cannot tell when their friend or teacher has had enough, or children who can not understand the emotions of others, and cannot regulate their emotions or respond appropriately. Place2Be has helped us develop as teachers of emotional intelligence. Not only can we now teach our pupils to read and write, but we can teach them to manage their emotions; we can help them identify the triggers that make them angry and the methods to combat them.

At our school, the influence of Place2Be has spread beyond the Place2Be room; we have linked emotional intelligence

not only to our citizenship lessons but also to our literacy and drama lessons. Children are taught to read body language, to make a tableau or freeze frame to discuss what the characters are thinking, and how they will react when they are no longer frozen. All of these experiences help children to read the world around them and to become comfortable within it.

It is only when a child feels comfortable that others understand them that learning can truly begin.

Ros Sandell and Jo Hussey,Head teacher and Deputy Head teacher/SENCO, Fairchildes School (Croydon)

Our stories continued

If I had a window into an alternative universe to see a version of me that had not gone to Place2Be, I would probably not want to see what I had turned out to be.” Young man, 17, who was supported by Place2Be when he was 11

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I can honestly say that I have never been happier in my life.

And I’m more than “happy”…for the first time in my life, I am content. I am at peace.

I was a different person when I first came to see you four years ago. I had just come out of the hospital – again, only this time I had Mandy with me. I couldn’t even do that right. I was suicidal all the time and as soon as I felt better I tried to kill myself again. I remember sitting in that chair beside you and just crying.

Well, I’ve cried a lot with you, haven’t I? And laughed.

I remember telling you that the first time Mandy heard me laugh, she was terrified. She’d never heard me laugh before. I didn’t laugh much then.

447 parents received counselling in the last three school terms

E smée Fairbairn Foundation has supported Place2Be over the years because it is an organisation

providing a high-quality, much-needed service. Schools are busy places and many children lead complex lives that can lead to feelings and experiences that get in the way of their learning. Place2Be does what all teachers wish they had the time and space to do: it provides calm and private places where, with the support of a skilled adult, young people can take the time they need to discuss and resolve issues that are bothering them. We like the fact that this empowers children to find their own solutions to problems that can act as barriers to their success. We rate Place2Be’s holistic approach which reaches beyond the school gates by training parents as well as school staff to support children’s emotional development better, and its rigorous evaluation which has helped refine and develop the delivery model to support ever increasing numbers of young people more effectively.

Dawn Austwick, Chief Executive, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

I can’t really tell you what those Tuesday mornings meant to me. I had to drag myself in sometimes, but it was worth it. You told me things I hadn’t heard before.

And now my little team is happy. The kids are settled at school. I have a job I love. We can afford treats, we go to the cinema and to McDonald’s. And do normal things.

I still have times when I think about what it was like before, but I know that on a Tuesday you’re still there and I could come back if I need to.

Thank you. Thank you, Place2Be.

Letter from a parent to a Place2Be Parent Counsellor

50%447Half of those with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14

x3Children in the poorest households are three times more likely to have a mental health problem than those living in the best-off households

How you can support Place2Be’s work:– Donate or become a regular donor– Take part in an event– Give via your payroll– Give in memory or via your willwww.place2be.org.uk

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Place2Be’s new Glasgow hub Developing the work of Place2Be in Scotland on the back of our flagship Edinburgh Hub – in place now for some 12 years and still receiving enthusiastic Head teacher, parent, NHS and local authority support and commitment across 10 schools – ought to have been straightforward. We had a good story to tell and great evidence of the impact we were having on children’s lives. We had seed money and the interest of a number of private sector supporters. What we could not have factored in was the onset of the ongoing financial crisis which has seen so many funding streams and council budgets cut, and hampered even the most effective initiatives being taken up.

It is with considerable pride that we are able now to talk about our ongoing developments in East Lothian where we have been in six schools for the last three years, and most recently the development of our new hub in Glasgow.

In Glasgow, after running a two-school pilot for two years, we bid for a tender to supply a comparable service across 15 primary schools in Greater Glasgow – and were successful. With monies from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Glasgow City Council, we have gained up to five years’ funding in the city, in part supported by a range of sponsors we have been developing relationships with over the years. As we meet with the Head teachers whose schools we will be working in, we are struck by their enthusiasm – and relief – that we will be working with them. Undoubtedly, a lot of these schools are dealing with some of the most troubled children in some very depleted and under-resourced areas. Teachers typically describe large classes often disrupted by a few particularly needy children, but generally with a population of complex needs – and not having the time or always the skills to meet those needs. Place2Be offers that time to children, their parents and the teaching staff. In Glasgow we sense there is a hunger for this kind of resource.

Our development style – in line with the work and nature of Place2Be – involves building networks of relationships far and wide, and inviting people in to hear about the realities of our work. There are many offshoots. We are developing new relationships with Housing Associations, with Scotland’s new unified Police Force, delivering for the first time Place2Be’s Scottish Foundation Course, and delivering our Mentoring Programme to new schools.

In East Lothian we have created a service over three years in six schools, which is widely valued. A very different area to Glasgow – far smaller, and a lot of it rural – still the children we see suffer from a range of issues, including the effects of poverty, abuse and violence. As we come to the end of this three-year contract, we are again in a procurement situation, but this time – and due to the efficacy of our work – for a budget which rises to nearly three times its current amount over the three years. Cross-party support for Place2Be’s work in the council has ensured that counselling in primary schools in East Lothian will continue for years to come.

As we enter another intense period of recruitment for Place2Be staff and volunteers, it is heartening to see the buzz from candidates for these posts. Place2Be continues to offer opportunities – including that many of our volunteers go on to become paid workers with us – in a profession (and in a climate) where these are often limited.

But in a project such as ours, it is the children who should have the last word.

“I couldn’t be found without Place2Be,” said one little girl after her session.

“Do you mean, you felt lost?” she was asked.

“Sort of,” she said. “Without Place2Be, I couldn’t find myself anywhere. And now I know where to look.”

Jonathan Wood, National Manager Scotland,Place2Be

Our stories continued

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Dealing with parental mental health issues

Lawrence was a single parent, with a nine-year-old son and two younger daughters. The elder daughter had recently started in Reception. Lawrence was referred for Place2Be’s parent counselling by the School Project Manager who had overseen Place2Be’s one-to-one counselling with Lawrence’s son.

The family had been through years of great distress and turmoil. Lawrence’s wife had recently been imprisoned for her violence against him, which came to light when he was admitted to hospital with serious head injuries.

The children had also been neglected and abused by their disturbed mother. She frequently left them home alone, without food, for long periods during the day whilst Lawrence was at work. When Lawrence’s son protested about their mother, Lawrence felt unable to believe him or take action. For a long time Lawrence’s wife carefully concealed her damaging behaviour from both her husband and those outside the family.

Initially a shaken and bruised man, Lawrence grew in confidence during his counselling. He soon realised how much his children had benefited from his fatherly care and ability to put their current needs and wellbeing first, in spite of all their suffering. While their mother was around he described the children as ‘wild – kicking strangers in the street and biting each other’. Under his sole care they were now settled and ‘good children’ at school.

During his sessions Lawrence explored painful experiences from his own childhood, which was marked by loss and abandonment. In doing so he recognised the links between his childhood experiences and the suffering he was subjected to

W hen my husband passed away suddenly, it was devastating to all my

family but especially to Jenny. She and her father always had a very special relationship. Finding Place2Be was a godsend. Jenny was comfortable going there, finding the security to deal with the sad feelings and gain back her trust and confidence. Going there every week, it was like a safe haven for her. The staff were helpful, supportive and friendly. They strive to provide an extremely valuable service to children, their families and the school. Place2Be allows children to deal with extremely difficult feelings in a child-friendly environment away from hospitals and medical cultures. A Big Thank You to all the staff at Place2Be – we are ever so grateful.

Parent,Primary school

within his marriage. Together we reflected on how Lawrence had found himself in the relationship with his wife. Looking back, there were signs that may have alerted him to his wife’s mental health and personality difficulties.

At the same time his empathy for his children and their anguish grew. He recognised the sense of loss associated with having not had a mother who was caring, capable and present in their lives. Accepting and mourning these losses, he moved from a position of powerlessness to re-establishing his pride and self-respect through his family role. He showed little bitterness or anger and was controlled and stoical.

As the sessions progressed Lawrence became clear about what he would look for in a new relationship, once his divorce was finalised, and how he would give himself time to get to know a new partner to begin to trust again.

When his counselling ended, Lawrence felt ready to return to work and was actively looking for employment. His positive experience with Place2Be helped him feel more able to trust his Social Worker. Lawrence was anxious that the children’s mother would be allowed to have unsupervised access to them, so he was keen to maintain contact with the Social Worker. He felt reassured that he could call on the Social Worker for support if he needed help in the future.

Parent Counsellor, Children’s Centre

The partnership between Place2Be and Northumberland County Council has enabled us to deliver high-quality services to parents, carers and children in the Berwick area. Staff in schools, children’s centres and social work teams have promoted the parent counselling service which gives parents an opportunity to have some time out and work through issues which are clearly impacting on the family.” Steve Stewart, Chief Executive, Northumberland County Council

18 | The Journal

Place2Be’s Volunteer Counsellors Recognised

Place2Be received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012 in recognition of the nationwide work of our volunteers. Each year, Place2Be’s 920 highly skilled Volunteer Counsellors provide over

52,000 hours of counselling in schools, helping to build children’s resilience and to improve their classroom learning and academic progress.

Doug Johnson, Head teacher at Gallions Mount Primary School, Greenwich said, “Place2Be has been in our school since 2002 and the Volunteer Counsellors have played a significant role in supporting troubled children through emotionally difficult periods in their lives. Many children learn how to cope with their displaced feelings and can begin to focus on their academic achievements; I feel that this early intervention has been invaluable in helping our pupils achieve their full potential.”

Congratulations to Place2Be. All of our HNC Counselling students who have volunteered with the organisation have had very positive experiences and, in some instances, their volunteering has led to employment with Place2Be.” Sue Torrance, Edinburgh College

AchievementsPlace2Be in WalesThe seeds for Place2Be’s Cardiff Hub were sown in 2005, when six primary school Head teachers saw the need to provide counselling support for the children in their schools. After extensive research, they selected Place2Be with its whole-school approach. They persevered and in 2009 were granted match funding by Cardiff City Council and the Welsh Government as one of four primary school pilots in the national School-Based Counselling Programme. The aim was to develop school-based counselling services that were independent, safe and accessible – and of a high standard – for all children and young people across Wales.

When Public Health Wales Mental Health awarded Place2Be its prestigious Good Practice Quality Mark in 2011, it stated, “The panel felt that the model of delivery developed by Place2Be, the high standard of monitoring and evaluation, its strategic insight, detailed and credible economic analysis and potential impact on the critical arena of early years development, all served to showcase this as an exemplary initiative from which there was huge learning potential.”

Funding from the Big Lottery (People and Places) in 2012 has sustained Place2Be’s service delivery and expanded our reach from six schools to nine.

Funding from the Dulverton Trust as well as Families First has also contributed to the sustainability of Place2Be in Cardiff. These additional funding streams will support a Place for Parents. This new service will mean that parents at five of the Cardiff Hub schools will have access to free individual therapeutic one–to-one time with a qualified counsellor.

Our aim going forward is to expand into secondary schools in Cardiff to support young people during their transition phase in Key Stage 3.

Big Lottery funding also enabled the delivery of Place2Be’s Level 3 Foundation training in Counselling Skills for Working with Children in Cardiff. This course and the Counselling Children Workshops help all those working with children to develop skills and confidence in supporting children’s wellbeing.

Linda Nicklin, Hub Manager Cardiff, Place2Be

Our stories continued

A Year 5 boy who finished one-to-one counselling at Christmas came back into the Place2Be room for a Place2Talk session. He walked in and said, “I love this place, it’s the heart of the school.”

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Place2Be receives up to £2 million from the Private Equity Foundation to extend work in secondary schoolsIn March 2013 Place2Be announced a partnership with the Private Equity Foundation (PEF) which will see us reach up to 25,000 11-to-14-year-olds by 2018. PEF’s donation of up to £2 million will enable us to roll out our services, extending our presence from being in 10 secondary schools to 70 secondary schools across the UK within the next five years.

Our work reminds us every day of the real and urgent need to support children through their transition from primary to secondary school, and to keep them engaged with education. While for some this transition is smooth, for others it can be a hugely challenging experience which can profoundly shape their future chances.

PEF’s investment will help secondary schools to set up our services in a financially sustainable way, giving them the valuable opportunity to experience and demonstrate the positive impact of Place2Be on their pupils. Having Place2Be costs integrated in their budgets will put schools in a strong position within the current austere financial climate, and help them to evidence supporting their most vulnerable pupils.

This marks a very exciting new chapter in Place2Be’s development as we realise our ambitious plans to reach many more children and young people across the UK. It is a testimony of our ability to demonstrate the positive impact of our work to our major funders, and to the dedication of our staff and Volunteer Counsellors to delivering the highest standards of services.

Steven Steven is in the final year of primary school. He has been attending Place2Be as part of a long-term intervention. This is following a drive-by shooting three years ago, which left him with a gunshot wound in the back of his head.

After the shooting Steven received counselling at his local hospital for post-traumatic stress disorder, but wasn’t able to engage with the service successfully before being discharged.

Since then, Steven has struggled to concentrate. He got involved in fights and fell behind academically. More recently, he has become isolated and subdued. He is fearful of one particular pupil and is reluctant to go into the playground, causing school staff to express concerns about how he would cope with the move to secondary school.

Weekly counselling with Place2Be is providing Steven with a safe space in which to explore and process his feelings about past and current experiences.

After just six sessions, Steven’s counsellor and teacher have both observed significant changes. He is more sociable and better able to voice his worries. For the first time since the shooting, he is starting to make friends; he is becoming more secure and confident every day.

My child’s experience with Place2Be has improved her confidence in the classroom and helped with her SATs results. She is also able to manage her emotions far more effectively.”Parent, primary school

As a class teacher, Place2Be provides relief by ensuring that some very troubled children are offered respite, support and a chance to express themselves. Children have improved confidence levels and are happier and more sociable.”

20 | The Journal

CollaborationChildren’s and Young People’s IAPT

Working with Academies

The Children’s and Young People’s IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) programme, sponsored by the Department of Health, is in its second year. Statutory and voluntary agencies are working together across the UK to promote and further extend access to therapeutic support for children and young people’s mental health. Place2Be is involved in the collaboration in Croydon as part of the SLAM (South London and Maudsley) Trust. Senior Place2Be clinicians are attending training and implementing their learning to support Place2Be to consider how to implement the IAPT approach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

“ARK Schools launched the ARK Inclusion Project in 2012 to help students improve their behaviour and raise their academic attainment. The programme is grant-supported by the Greater London Authority and is delivered in partnership with six organisations in 10 South London schools in Southwark, Lambeth and Croydon. Place2Be already supports young people in several ARK academies and is one of the six partner organisations. Its crucial role in the programme is to provide high-quality therapeutic support to those students whose emotional wellbeing prevents them from reaching their full academic potential.” Eugene du Toit, Network Lead for SEN and Behaviour, ARK Schools

Thank you for supporting me during a journey that seemed impossible to achieve but the impossible has become possible. Though my journey is far from over and is still a work in progress, it’s quite an exciting one.”Mother of two children under five, supported by Place2Be Parent Counsellor

M-Pact PlusWorking in schools in some of the most deprived areas of the UK, we know first-hand the urgent need to support children and families affected by substance misuse. Identifying and tackling this problem early on is so crucial to helping families to tackle these issues so that they can face brighter futures. The collaboration funded by The Royal Foundation and Comic Relief will enable us to do just that through working together with Action on Addiction.

The M-Pact Plus programme will combine Place2Be’s expertise in providing emotional and mental health support services in schools for children and parents, and our network across schools and voluntary and social care agencies, with the expertise of Action on Addiction’s ‘Moving Parents and Children Together’ (M-PACT) programme, which takes a whole-family approach to tackling substance misuse. The initiative is being piloted in four areas of England for two years.

Nick Booth, Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation said, “A core objective of The Royal Foundation is to help young people fulfil their potential in life. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Comic Relief, Place2Be and Action on Addiction, to develop a new approach to preventing addiction and in doing so, help young people to grow up free to focus on their education, their opportunities and indeed their youth.”

Teach FirstPlace2Be has developed a strong relationship with leading charity Teach First, which is tackling educational disadvantage in the UK through its employment-based teaching training programme for outstanding graduates. “The training that Place2Be developed for Teach First was instrumental in supporting our participants’ understanding of the most effective methods of working with parents and families in order to support the learning and wellbeing of their pupils.”

Louise Rodriguez-Davies, Associate Director – Primary Development – Leadership Development, Teach First

The Journal | 21

Talented Teacher ProgrammeThe Talented Teacher Programme is an exciting new programme of training and support for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) funded by The Rayne Foundation, Garfield Weston and Bloomberg. The Advisory Group is chaired by Dr Mary Stiasny of The Institute of Education and includes members from Teach First and Achievement for All. The Talented Teacher Programme supports NQTs by enhancing their skills and understanding to support children’s emotional wellbeing, improve classroom management, minimise disruption, maximise engagement and improve the overall effectiveness of their teaching. More effective teaching will enable more students to reach their full potential both academically and socially and have a positive impact on their future wellbeing. In addition to receiving training from Place2Be, the NQTs access Place2Think, our consultancy service for teachers, which provides more focussed time in smaller groups or one-to-one. Fifty NQTs are taking part in the pilot year of the programme across Croydon, Ealing, Brent and Greenwich.

Building local community capacity with Housing Associations

SpringBoard Bursary Foundation

Place2Be is working in partnership with Family Mosaic and Glasgow Housing Association to support their work with vulnerable children and families. Place2Be is offering a range of training to upskill staff and to provide residents with skills to help them into volunteering and ultimately into employment. One participant said: “I found the day useful as it has given me tools I can carry over to my safeguarding coordinator role.”

The SpringBoard Bursary Foundation provides fully funded bursary places at independent and state boarding schools for disadvantaged children with the aim of enhancing social mobility and the ethos of the boarding sector. Place2Be is working in partnership with SpringBoard to deliver introductory training as part of schools’ accreditation process.

Department for Education and Department of Health

Place2Be has long-standing relationships with both the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department of Health (DH) who through their funding have enabled innovation over the years to continue to improve our practice in schools. In 2011 DfE funding enabled us to employ a full-time Head of Safeguarding as well as develop a tailored training programme for schools and community staff, ‘Working with Parents’. So far we have delivered 90 programmes. DH funding, through the Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund (HSCVF), is enabling us to deliver our Professional Qualifications training locally in London, Medway, East Lancashire, Leeds and Durham, building local community capacity and expertise. We are delighted to have secured further DfE investment to improve our practice for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities, enabling us to recruit two in-house Educational Psychologists and to work in partnership with Achievement for All, a national charity which runs a highly successful, evidence-based programme to improve children and young people’s aspirations, access and achievement.

Specialist provision, such as Place2Be, is extremely successful in offering pupils support for personal and social issues, a fact recognised and valued by pupils and parents alike.”Ofsted, West Thornton Primary Academy, Croydon, England, 2012 – Outstanding (1)

22 | The Journal

Expand our impact on primary schoolsWe will continue to deliver our full and effective service and by 2016 aim to be supporting 85,000 children in primary schools across the UK. We will continue to develop our practice and ensure that our outcomes are aligned with the needs of schools.

Expand our impact on secondary schoolsWe will scale up our work with secondary schools, reaching 20,000 young people annually by 2016. We will refine and deepen our expertise, particularly through the transition years when early intervention can make a real difference.

Develop and extend our support for parentsWe will extend A Place for Parents, our one-to-one counselling service for parents, to all of our schools and deliver a successful, replicable model to improve outcomes for families seeking to cope with substance misuse.

Continue learning and sharing our expertise through training, collaboration and communicationsWe will deliver our suite of Professional Qualifications locally, skilling up the workforce and building professional pathways for children’s counsellors. We will share the learning we gain from our own research and evidence-based practice, and work in collaboration with others to build the expertise of the workforce supporting children and young people in schools and communities.

AspirationsThe need for Place2Be’s services is already great, and is still growing. It is this need which is driving our ambitious plans to further grow our services for children, their families, teachers and school staff. Our priorities for 2013 – 2016 focus on the following four areas:

The Journal | 23

Place2Be has grown to be an integral part of East Lancashire’s early help and support services for children and their families. The charity not only helps children to feel happier, be more able to understand their feelings and enjoy improved educational outcomes, but also provides very good value for money which is essential when there are so many constraints on the public purse.”Cath Randall, Head Children’s Commissioning /Senior Operating Officer for East Lancashire’s Clinical Commissioning Group/Public Health Lancashire

24 | The Journal

FundraiseYou don’t have to stand in the rain with a collection bucket to raise money for Place2Be. You can sign up to an exciting challenge event, attend our Christmas Concert or host your own Place2Be fundraiser. Whatever you decide to do, we’ll support you every step of the way. Please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you. We pride ourselves in giving the best supporter care to the individuals and organisations who choose to support Place2Be.

Donate nowThe children we work with face difficulties every day. Your donation can prevent these worries from growing up with them. Our work helps children to understand and overcome their issues; if you act now, you can help us to give these children a brighter future. Funds raised through voluntary donations go where they are needed most.

Our supportersPlace2Be is proud of the achievements we’ve made. We are incredibly grateful to all of the donors we work with for sharing our passion to improve children’s life chances and help them fulfil their potential. This financial support helps us to expand our capacity, enhance our expertise and importantly reach more children year on year.

Place2Be has four key attributes I look for in a charity: good measurable outcomes, an attractive financial model, significant roll out potential and impressive leadership.”Anthony Bolton, President – Investment, Fidelity Worldwide Investment

The representation above is unaudited. Audited information on Place2Be’s past performance can be obtained from our Annual Report and Accounts lodged at Companies House or the Charity Commissions of England and Wales, and Scotland, or Place2Be’s website: www.place2be.org.uk

Funding and getting involvedEvery day thousands of vulnerable children and families depend on our work in schools. Please help make sure that we are there for them when they need us most. Find a way to support us that suits you: from taking part in a sponsored challenge, to attending a fundraising event, making a monthly donation or getting your company on board. Your help will make a real difference to the lives of the children we work with.

Income sources 2012/13 Funds utilisation

Schools 44%Local Statutory 11%Grants and Donations 27%Central Government 10%Training 7%Other 1%

Service Delivery 93%Governance 2%Cost of Generating Funds 5%

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Contact usGive us a call, send us a letter, email us, tweet us, connect with us on LinkedIn or join our Facebook fan page.

Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/_place2be

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place2be

London Head OfficePlace2Be13 / 14 Angel Gate326 City RoadLondon EC1V 2PTTel: 0207 923 5500

Get in touch by email:

School enquiries: development@place2be.org.uk

Research enquiries: evaluation@place2be.org.uk

Training enquiries: qualify@place2be.org.uk

Volunteering enquiries: volunteers@place2be.org.uk

Fundraising enquiries: friends@place2be.org.uk

IllustrationsAll the artwork in this publication was created by children at Place2Be schools.

DesignAddison, www.addison.co.uk

Printed at Pureprint Group, ISO 14001. FSC® certified and CarbonNeutral®.

This report is printed on Chorus Lux Silk which is FSC® certified, as well as having ISO14001 EMS, EMAS and the European EcoLabel. Printed in the UK by Pureprint using its ® and ® environmental printing technology, and vegetable inks were used throughout. Pureprint is a CarbonNeutral® company. Both manufacturing mill and the printer are registered to the Environmental Management System ISO 14001 and are Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) chain-of-custody certified. The CO2 emissions from the production and distribution of this report have been offset through the purchase of carbon credits in the Pureprint Gold programme. The offsets are always in Gold Standard accredited projects and currently come from the Basa Magogo project in South Africa. The first Gold Standard project of its kind in the world, this innovative behaviour-change programme teaches local communities in South Africa to burn coal more efficiently thereby reducing carbon emissions and reducing health risks by producing less smoke.

As a 43-year-old woman who hadn’t ever ridden my bike much, applying for the London to Brighton ride took me way out of my comfort zone! However it turned out to be a fantastic personal challenge and an opportunity to help an amazing cause.”London to Brighton bike ride, 2012 participant

SamSam was referred to Place2Be following concerns from his teacher, the Inclusion Team and his mum. His teacher said he was quiet, withdrawn, and struggling to make any friends – appearing “on the edge” as if he “doesn’t deserve to be included in friendship groups or games”.

Sam’s mum has issues with alcohol and has just started to receive her own counselling and support. His family also has a history of domestic violence, with previous involvement by Social Services.

In the initial one-to-one sessions, Sam was very quiet and hesitant. However, as each session passed, he started to express his likes and dislikes, to explore the materials in the room, and to become more animated and engaged with his counsellor.

He is only in the early stages of Place2Be, but there are already very tangible changes happening: Sam has started to smile and wave more frequently to adults he knows, and to engage with teaching staff and a few other children in the class.

every £1 we raise is used on the delivery of our services to children

93P out of...

School-Based ServicesIntegrated on-site support for the whole school community

Services for children

Place2Talk

Referral and Assessment

One-to-one Counselling

Therapeutic Group Work

Services for school staff

Training for School staff

Whole class work

Safeguarding Advice

Place2Think

Services for parents and carers

Parent Partnership Work

Signposting and multi-agency working

Parent counselling

Quality Assurance Measures– Inbuilt clinical supervision, team meetings

and training for staff and volunteers overseen by the Cluster Manager

– In-house research and evaluation to monitor impact and assess outcomes

Where we operate200We work in 200 schools across 20 areas, reaching 75,000 children

Place2Be13 / 14 Angel Gate326 City RoadLondonEC1V 2PT

Place2Be is a registered charity in England and Wales Number 1040756 and in Scotland Number SC038649 and a company limited by guarantee Number 02876150.

Tel: 0207 923 5500Email: enquiries@place2be.org.uk

www.place2be.org.uk

Deciding to work with Place2Be was one of the best professional decisions I have ever made. Since Place2Be started, play and lunch times have been transformed. Negative incidents decreased by 22% in two terms; children needing play to work through their feelings now have someone able to support and listen to them. All our places are full and children really look forward to their sessions. All of the children benefit from this superb provision, some astoundingly so.”Ruth Hudson, Head teacher, The Alton School (Wandsworth)