De-escalating with Parents and Carers

In this episode, Clare talks to Dave Smallwood, Principal Team Teach trainer and Director at SENse Training and Consultancy, about de-escalating with parents and carers.

They explore different reasons why parents and carers might feel dysregulated and how our own emotional state can affect our capacity to empathise and support them. They also talk about finding incidental opportunities for building connection with families when everyone is feeling calm and regulated. Dave highlights helpful tools for de-escalation, including verbal and non-verbal CALM communication strategies.

Dave has worked in special schools, for both the local authority and the National Autistic Society, and has extensive experience of supporting young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities.

When he worked as a staff development co-ordinator for the National Autistic Society, Dave developed and delivered training in autism, and equality, diversity, and rights.

You can find Dave on LinkedIn.

He also shares three tips during the episode:

• Being empathetic and trying to understand others’ perspectives can help us devise the right support.
• We should prioritise safety, making sure we are in an environment where everyone feels safe.
• Authenticity is key, so that parents and carers know that we truly care.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

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