The Benefits of Forest School for Children with SEMH Needs

The benefits of Forest School for children, who may be marginalised in our schools, are plentiful and go beyond how to take off wellies!
About this Event

Forest School is a concept first established in Denmark in the 19th century, it came to the UK in the 1990s and is now an established part of many schools’ curriculum. Its roots reach back to the open-air culture, friluftsliv (a love of being in nature without disturbing it). Fundamentally, a child-led, investigative learning approach which supports play, exploration and supported risk-taking to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on experiences in a natural setting. Learn more about:

the benefits for children with an EHCP for SEMH, with many having diagnoses of Autism, ADHD or other neurodivergencies and all had been excluded, or at risk of exclusion, from their previous, mainstream primary schools
how being outside helped those children flourish
how confidence and resilience was built in the pupils as well as allowing opportunities for feelings to be explored in a safe way

Your Facilitator

Cat Jolleys - Senior Leader in Education, Trainer, Speaker, Forest Schools
BSc (hons), PGCE, PGDip Trauma Informed Practice (TISUK)

Cat has been a Primary teacher, Deputy Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead and SENDCo for over 23 years, working in a Greater Manchester Primary school and an SEMH special school. She advocated for and met the needs of SEND children and those who have experienced trauma, by developing and maintaining a culture of Nurture, Restorative and Trauma Informed practice.
She co-led on the Restorative Approaches Project in Stockport Family, delivering Relational Training to Schools and Social Care partners and became a member of the Restorative Justice Council with the RJC training mark, in 2017.
She is currently training to become a Trauma Informed Forest Schools Teacher

Your Host

Lisa Cherry is the Director of Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd leading a dynamic and creative organisation that provides a 'one stop' approach to delivering on research, consultancy and learning and development. Lisa is an author, researcher, leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting schools, services and systems to create systemic change to the way that we work with those experiencing and living with, the legacy of trauma. Lisa has been working in and around Education and Children’s Services for over 30 years and combines academic knowledge and research with professional expertise and personal experience. Lisa has worked extensively with Social workers, Educators, Probation Workers and those in Adult Services, training and speaking to over 30,000 people around the world including in the US, Australia and Pakistan and across the whole of the UK.

Lisa has produced multiple pieces of research for various settings and Lisa's own MA research looked at the impact on education and employment for care experienced adults who experienced school exclusion as children in the 1970's and 1980's. Lisa has recently completed her DPhil research at The University of Oxford in the Department of Education, asking the research question "How do care experienced adults who were also excluded from school make sense of belonging?"

Lisa is the author of the hugely successful book 'Conversations that make a difference for Children and Young People' (2021)and ‘The Brightness of Stars’ 3rd Edition published in June 2022. Lisa is working on her latest book due for publication in 2024/2025 on Cultivating Belonging.