SEND Education through Therapeutic Forest School
At GoWild Outdoors we are certified Therapeutic Forest school leaders
This provides our Level 3 Forest School Leaders with additional therapeutic skills and disability awareness training, empowering us to capitalise on the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors.
Our certification expands on the Forest School Leader’s existing knowledge of child development and provides opportunities to gain insights from therapy and develop therapeutic skills.
Therapeutic Forest School sessions are facilitated by a trained Therapeutic Forest School Leader and are designed for the inclusion of children and young people with a wide range of needs.
At the heart of our therapeutic sessions is the individual, meeting their needs and supporting their interests through learner-led exploration, investigation, and challenge. As sessions develop, a sense of community is nurtured where children and young people feel valued and respected.
What are the benefits of the outdoors?
The outdoors provides a therapeutic experience for children and young people. Children, young people, and adults develop confidence, and social skills, improve communication skills, are given the opportunity to enhance fine motor skills, develop an interest in nature, learn to naturally assess risk, and become familiar with unpredictable and unfamiliar situations alongside many more benefits.
What is a Therapeutic Forest School Leader?
A Therapeutic Forest School Leader has received therapeutic skills and disability awareness training from a multi-disciplinary team.
They receive monthly CPD created by Therapeutic specialists.
They have access to a Peer Support Network and therapeutic team for support.
Why partner with a Therapeutic Forest school leader?
The Therapeutic Forest leaders are qualified forest school leaders who have received training from a multidisciplinary team on therapeutic skills in the outdoors. Ongoing support is provided to Therapeutic forest school leaders by a team of clinical psychologists, speech and language therapists, Occupational therapists, play therapists, researchers, advocates with lived experience and wellbeing practitioners.
What is an Approved Practitioner ?
Approved Practitioners have completed The Certificate in Therapeutic Skills for Outdoor Leaders and/or The Certificate in Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing for Outdoor Leaders delivered by The Therapeutic Forest CIC.
Approved Practitioners receive monthly CPD from a multidisciplinary team including webinars, online CPD modules, sign-of-the-week programmes, therapeutic resources, Clinical Discussion sessions, and Peer-to-Peer Supervision. Approved Practitioners have ongoing access to. specialist therapeutic team for support.
What are the benefits of working with a Therapeutic Forest School Leader?
Therapeutic Forest School Leaders are able to support children with a wide range of needs. Therapeutic Forest School Leaders have received modules on supporting children with additional needs in the forest, support children with attachment difficulties and developmental trauma and understand child development.
On completion of the Certificate in Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing for Outdoor Leaders, Therapeutic Forest School Leaders are able to understand adult mental health and wellbeing, understanding trauma and developed a therapeutic toolbox for supporting adult mental health.
Therapeutic Forest School Leaders can provide you with social impact data to show the impact of Therapeutic Forest sessions and enable you to see clear outcomes.
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
Our Forest activity sessions run in all weathers (the only weather that may put a stop to sessions are lightening and extremely high wind).
To have a positive experience, children need to be dressed appropriately, so old, inexpensive clothes are most suitable.
These guidelines should help:
- Waterproof Jacket & Trousers
- All-in-one waterproofs are very useful, especially for younger children.
- Layers – more in winter (2 isn’t enough!)
- Long trousers (to avoid stinging nettles and scratching hazards)
- Wellies/other waterproof boots/strong shoes/trainers suitable for all seasons.
- Woolly hat, gloves & scarf
- Sun hat (in summer/sunny weather)
We have a duty of care for your child and we make every attempt to ensure that they are dressed appropriately (using spare resources where possible). However, we will not be able to take children if they are inadequately dressed.
GoWild Outdoors has successfully met the Scope Activities for All standards for inclusion.
Want to know more?
Get in touch now, and find out how forest school can allow your young learners to connect with the outdoors and develop a sense of belonging and stewardship of their local landscape.
Prices
Please contact us to discuss your requirements, and we will provide a bespoke quote based on your information.
Location
We can run forest school sessions throughout the UK to cater to your business, but our main base is in Yorkshire.
What to bring
Come prepared for a day outside! Ideally wearing walking boots or wellies, and waterproofs.