T.E.N.T. is an acronym for Therapeutic Education for Neurodivergence & Trauma (including chronic stress).
Because classroom hours and attention spans are finite, and any single resource can only cover so much, we have created a UNIQUE SOLUTION – T.E.N.T:
Whilst the core of our provision is based around the child/ young person; our provision ALSO provides Integration Awareness Workshops for parents, carers, educators, therapists, social workers and virtual heads. The purpose of this workshop is to share the skills and opportunities that present from everyone for everyone’s benefit. If we only relate the learning time to classroom hours and specific attention spans within this, then we are creating dis-ease. By INTEGRATING opportunistic SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE from ALL resources, including new Ed-technology, we can achieve what everyone needs.
According to a June 2023 paper published in The National Library of Medicine*1 – “understanding the key influences on a young person’s experience is the foundation of any improvement strategy” – the report goes on to say:
Approximately 3500 young people under 18 are admitted to inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) tier 4 units across the UK each year. Hospitals provide 24/7 care for young people with complex social, developmental, and emotional needs, often struggling with severe self-harm, suicidality, psychosis, and/or behaviours that present challenges. The level of acuity is high, and there is a constant requirement to balance the risk and liberty alongside young people and their families. Such intensive treatment and high dysregulation are demanding. Inadequate management and supervision can lead to unsafe practices, elevated levels of restrictions, and poor formulation of risk.
Psychiatric admissions are often needed, however, exit routes are not always smooth nor as timely as may be needed. When children and young people spend longer periods than necessary in secure psychological units their education, life skills and social interactions decline.
It is well documented that long term absence from a supportive learning environment puts students at risk of loneliness and social isolation. A common problem for some children and young people who struggle with main stream school, is that they also struggle with smaller therapeutic educational settings and even alternative education – they remain at home either receiving little or no education – and worse still they receive no therapeutic support and life skills development THAT LINK IN WITH IMPROVED SELF-AWARENESS.
LONG TERM ABSENCE IS A BIG PROBLEM IN MANY WAYS:
Long term absence from their peers and from a pattern of positive learning puts students at risk of loneliness and social isolation. Many children and young people are often diagnosed (or are still waiting to be diagnosed) with autism, ADD, ADHD, ODD, PDA, selective-mutism, epilepsy or other SEN or physical challenges – and may have been visited by CAMHS or an educational psychologist, and may have been prescribed medication from their doctor. If they are not ‘sectioned’ they may receive a once a week therapy session (OFTEN CBT which they refuse to engage with). If they do receive education it is often from a specific Maths or English tutor for a specific lesson or lessons – and has little in the way of social or life skills development co-ordinated with significant others.
Some of these children/ young people are based within their own homes with parents or carers, whilst others are looked after children and are based in their care home with supportive residential care staff. The common problem with these challenges is that in addition to what has been identified, there is very little integration of time and resources from everyone involved – namely educators, parents and carers. Quite often the support from everyone is disjointed and not coordinated, leading to departmentalised, segregated emotions and behaviours from the young person.
THE PROVIDERS OF THE ALLOCATED SOLUTION ARE NORMALLY FROM AN EDUCATIONAL ORGANISATION AND HAVE A PRIORITY FOR TICKING BOXES, OR HAVE ALLOCATED STAFF (OR AGENCY WORKERS) THAT WHILST BEING QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED FOR SUPPORTING IN MAIN STREAM OR SEN ENVIRONMENTS, ARE NOT EXPERIENCED OR ALLOWED TO WORK IN A DYNAMIC RESPONSIVE MANNER WITHIN THE ISOLATION OF A HOME. THE LACK OF PERSPECTIVE OR LACK OF DESIRE, OR LACK OF CARE, OR LACK OF FLEXIBILITY, OR A GENUINE LACK OF AWARENESS THAT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS FOR COORDINATED WORKING, PREVENTS A SOLUTION FOR THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM – WHICH IS POLARITY INTEGRATION – what is that I hear you say?
POLARITY INTEGRATION in this respect simply means integrating the different challenges and issues from all the various supportive others, rather than seeking to isolate them, ignore them or change them, resolve or overcome them.
T.E.N.T IS AN APPROACH BASED ON POLYVAGAL THEORY:
Using polyvagal (PNS) modalities, a structured approach will be more effective than a non-structured approach. T.E.N.T. uses gentler approaches, such as The Trust Technique, The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), The Yawning Protocol (YP), Coherence Breathing using HRV monitoring; Art:Binaurual Beats Combined (A2B Protocol), Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT) and Applied Kinesiology (AK), and more active approaches, such as Mirroring, Modelling, and Managing (3 M’s Protocol), or The Play, Move and Distract Protocol (PMD Protocol) – more details including effective use of ED TECHNOLOGY available on request.
If you are a virtual head, social worker, or local authority facilitator of alternative provision, (or a LAC provider); then Marcus and Be Super Ltd are available to discuss your needs and will work with you and the care provider to ensure T.E.N.T. works for the young people you have in mind.
Mr P is prepared to work for a provider on a consultancy basis, or on a part-time, full-time or contract basis to merge T.E.N.T. into a therapeutic educational solution.
Technology for education is developing faster than awareness – we are looking to integrate Ed Tech to find alternative solutions – please click here for more details.
Links:
*1 – National Library of Medicine
To find out more and ask any questions or arrange a meeting:
- 07931 326 164
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