James Kirkby

Sometimes we lose connection with those around us, we do not mean to, but sometimes it happens. Disconnection is not an issue for many of us, we have enough positive past experiences, emotional drive, and awareness to reconnect. Sometimes though, this is not the case. When people find they are missing either the positive experiences to drive them to reconnect or perhaps experiencing some depression, low self-esteem, or anxiety, making connection is challenging.

Disconnection is a symptom of a more significant problem, being unplugged. It is easy to become unplugged from our senses and plugged into other peoples feelings or other sources. For young people, the temptation to plug into social media, peers, and what those around them think is preferable to trusting their feelings and making choices. This is particularly true for young people who feel overwhelmed by their emotions and can spill into social anxiety & depression or rage & risk-taking.

Sharing how things are for you, being aware of your emotional state, and accepting those feelings are crucial steps to being plugged into yourself. When you plug into your feelings, you are at your most confident, capable and kind. There are also lifelong benefits to being plugged into your emotional self. These include health gains, successful relationships and realising your talents & passions, which hopefully leads to contributing to your community and society.

James Kirkby uses the exceptional industry-shaping training and tools offered through the Thrive Approach to support children, and young people plug into their feelings and emotions. Sometimes we journey for years, sometimes for weeks. In either case, James Kirkby is committed to a nurturing and child-focused approach using age and developmental appropriate tasks that promote positive change.

Support Services

The solutions here are a guide to understanding the types of support that James Kirkby offers. Rarely does one package perfectly meet the needs of an individual, and therefore a unique package is created to match each situation. There are facilities available, including a private hall and rooms (depending on location) and additional workers.

• Fully insured
• Licensed Thrive Practitioner
• Enhanced portable DBS for instant online check
• Paediatric First Aid trained
• Level 3 Safeguarding trained

Costs vary depending on the required intervention; the minimum price per session is £35.

Educational Wellbeing

Transition

The Transition package focuses upon meeting an identified need or preparing for an anticipated change. Change can have a profound impact young person’s ability to learn. Examples of changes that occur in education are moving year groups or schools.

This package supports successful transitions through:

• Thrive Online assessment and action plan for the young person.
• In-person sessions
• Linking with relevant staff (SENCO, teacher) & carers or parents.
• Facilitating the transfer of information (EHCP, PEP etc.), including school records and work. Promoting a prepared and organised transition for the student between settings.

Resilience

The Resilience package focuses on supporting a specific area that a child or young person finds challenging to work through. An example could be future aspirations, difficultly making friends or low self-esteem. The role here is closely matched to a coach or mentor. However, James Kirkby enhances this work through applying child development, childhood trauma and attachment aware practice.

This package supports resilience through:

• Thrive Online assessment and action plan.
• In-person or online sessions.
• Linking with relevant professionals & carers or parents.
• A unique programme of work framed around the area of need.

Stability

The Stability package aims to meet the support needs of young people who have an undefined need. Unlike Transition, where the identified need is ‘support in moving schools’. Stability is for children who, for example, have difficulty staying in the classroom or disrupt learning. However, the underlying need or trigger driving the behaviour and effective intervention required is unknown or unclear.

This package supports stability through:

• Thrive Online assessment and action plan.
• In-person sessions.
• Linking with relevant staff (SENCO, teacher) & carers or parents.
• In-class support for the student.
• Regularly meet with staff to share Thrive assessment information and strategies to stabilise the classroom and school environment.

Engagement

The Engagement package encompasses every element from Transition, Stability and Resilience. This package supports the child or young person who is not in education, employment, or training, and it would also suit a child or young person or family who find themselves in crisis resulting from a breakdown at home or school.

This package supports engagement through:

• Thrive assessment and action plan.
• In-person sessions.
• Linking with relevant professionals & carers or parents.
• Share Thrive assessment information and strategies with carers, parents and professionals for a consistent approach to successfully develop a child or young persons’ ability to better engage and manage their emotional health in the classroom, at home, in public, and in social situations.
• Inc. Thrive communication app provides feedback and support communication between parents, teacher(s) and myself.

James Kirkby is an approved alternative provider for Dorset Council and regularly collaborates with other providers such as Jurassic Coast Tutors & Sun Connections to enhance interventions.