Publications

'Understanding, Nurturing and Working Effectively with Vulnerable Children in Schools'

'Understanding, Nurturing and Working Effectively with Vulnerable Children in Schools' offers a comprehensive and accessible exploration of the difficulties faced by teachers and schools from at-risk and disaffected children, including repeated trauma and insecure attachment patterns. It includes practical suggestions, numerous case examples and teacher friendly theoretical background material as well as a wealth of ideas for ways forward, including differentiated responses to children in the light of their particular patterns, developmental stages and unmet needs. Written from extensive professional experience, this is an essential handbook and resource book.

The book describes how a thoughtful ‘relationship based’ approach, which understands behaviour as unconscious communication and sets firm boundaries with empathy and thoughtfulness, can slowly alleviate such difficulties. Offering a second chance more secure attachment experience can enable students to discover it might be safe to let down their all consuming defences a little, freeing them to begin to learn. It offers teacher friendly theory e.g. understanding attachment patterns, and unconscious processes which happen all the time in school. It includes:

Written from extensive professional experience, this is an essential handbook and resource book for trainers, schools, teachers and school staff, and for educational psychologists and those in children’s services working with vulnerable children in pre and primary schools, as well as those in special schools and units.

It is a resource book and handbook for teachers, school staff, teacher trainers, psychologists etc. and all those working with vulnerable children and with staff involved with them. It may also be useful for social care and looked after children staff, and other professionals who are (or would like to be) engaged in training or working supportively with vulnerable children or their carers or mentors etc..

The eResources linked to the book include an 8 session 'Book version' of the 'Safe to Learn' PowerPoint course on the subject matter in the book. Angela Greenwood and Dr Tina Axup wrote the original 'Safe to learn' training for Southend school staff in 2013. It was funded by Southend Borough Council and presented many times in various venues over the next 5 years. A version of the 'Safe to Learn' course continues to be delivered to schools by Southend Educational Psychology Service by request. The book version is intended for trainers familiar with the subject matter to deliver to teaching staff. It is accessed from a link at the end of the 'Safe to Learn' Appendix in the book.

Hb: 978-0-367-02544-1

Reviews

"This book is timely! Positive relationships are at the heart of all good teaching and learning; they allow us to reach out to our learners, to understand them, form strong connections and create the learning environment they need to flourish. Angela draws on her professional expertise and extensive experience to give clear explanations, examples and pertinent case studies, all grounded in relevant theory, which enlighten those who have important work to do in supporting our most vulnerable learners; children who require especially fine and considered attunement from the adults who work with them. As a teacher educator I consider this to be an important book to deepen understanding of the issues in relation to attachment while providing a wealth of material to use with our student teachers."

–Rosie Moore, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, University of Brighton

"In light of the ongoing debate around exclusions and the increase in mental health issues, the release of this book is extremely timely. It will help professionals to reframe their understanding of behaviour and what children and young people might be communicating through it. The book is grounded in accessible theory with illustrative examples showing how these relate to practice. In addition, Angela Greenwood provides readers with realistic and effective strategies to help them engage with and support the children and young people in their care."

–Michael Surr, Education Development Officer and editor of nasen Connect, nasen (National Association of Special Educational Needs)

"Angela Greenwood has captured here, in one volume, all the most compelling and salient psycho-dynamically-informed approaches and strategies for supporting children and young people in education settings. This work is replete with examples of how attachment theory and associated perspectives may inform how teachers, learning support assistants and other educational professionals can provide the optimal conditions for children to feel safe, to learn and to flourish. This book will, no doubt, make a significant impact on school staff, school systems, organisational structures within education, and, most vitally, on the children and families they serve."

–Nicole Schnackenberg, Educational Psychologist and author of False Bodies, True Selves: Moving Beyond Appearance-Focused Identity Struggles and Returning to the True Self

"This book is a summary of what all teachers should understand and practice if we are to help all children to learn. It describes the implications of early social and emotional childhood experience for later behaviour and responses in the classroom and relates this to teaching practice and delivery. An essential read for all education staff."

–Heather Geddes, Educational Psychotherapist and author of Attachment in the Classroom

.

Other Publications

1977 – 1978

First Series of Sunbird Books for Africa: Ladybird Books.

1980

1993

July 1999

Sept. 1999

Nov. 1999

Sept 2019

Nov 2023