Aidan Phillips: The Wave Trust

The Wave Trust aims to reduce the incidence of adverse childhood experiences such as child abuse, neglect and the witnessing of domestic violence. It has a target of reducing such adverse experiences by 70% by 2030.

The Trust’s Aidan Phillips came to talk to us about it. He told us that the Trust was founded some 25 years ago and initially concentrated on research and the presentation of the findings to interested parties. It now works particularly with schools to develop strategies to help pupils whose adverse experiences may have led them to exhibit challenging behaviour.

What is the relevance of the bear? Aidan showed us the picture and asked us to imagine we were walking through a dark forest when we saw that bear. Our instinctive reaction would be “A bear! Danger!” and our body would undergo a number of changes in the classic “fight or flight” reaction. Once we were well away from the bear our stress levels would decrease and our body return to normal. Suppose, though, we were permanently in stress? This can be the effect of adverse childhood experiences.

Children can be traumatised by their experiences. This can have lasting effects on functioning and physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being.

How can schools help? They need to turn away from addressing the challenging behaviour and start probing the reasons behind that behaviour. Not “What’s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?” Children have no control over the events that traumatise them. They need to feel that they are controlling the way of addressing the results.

Aidan mentioned that one school had changed its policy on sending misbehaving children out of the classroom. A cushion was put outside the classroom and children themselves were allowed to decide when they needed to go out and sit on it for a while. Instead of sending seriously misbehaving children to see the principal they were sent to the classroom of a teacher they were known to like and respect. That teacher would ask them to sit to one side and promise to speak to them later. This gave the child time to quieten down and discuss the situation with the teacher calmly.

In another case two fighting boys were taken into a room and told “We are not leaving this room until you have both agreed what you are going to do.” They discussed the way forward between them.

Aidan said “Healing happens in relationships” and set out the following key messages:

• Unearth the root of the behaviour.
• Prioritise relationship-building.
• Create a therapeutic environment.
• Make discipline a learning experience.
• Provide students with a sense of control.
• Promote a supportive staff culture.

The teachers among our members confirmed the importance of good relations between staff and students.