With the release of our new data analysis, Time to Nurture: Responding to the social-emotional development crisis in our schools, we’re sharing strategies and activities for educators to address one key Developmental Strand of SEMH assessment - emotional security.
Emotional security
Strong emotional security means that a child or young person feels secure in themselves and knows that they are held in positive regard by the adults.
Conversely, a low score in this Developmental Strand indicates that the young person may have to revert to survival instincts to get basic needs met and does not see other people as pleasurable. They may not have had enough attention, praise and appreciation.
Emotional security aims:
We want the students to be able to:
- Develop trust in the adults in school, knowing that support is available to them.
- Turn to an adult for help or assistance.
- Ask for help when struggling to complete the task set.
- Look up and make eye contact when spoken to*.
- Take appropriate care of their work or something they have made.
- Show effort or pride in a good piece of work.
- Accept constructive criticism and re-direction of work.
- Identify an area of strength.
*Please note that in some cultures, eye contact may not be appropriate. Also, for some pupils, eye contact can be particularly difficult, for example with some diagnosed conditions or for individuals who may have suffered trauma.
