Launch of good practice guide for schools - supporting displaced families

Place2Be is proud to have collaborated with Save the Children UK in the creation of a good practice guide which provides practical advice for supporting displaced children and young people in UK schools.

People being forced to leave where they consider home to live elsewhere (involuntary dislocation) can happen due to many factors – from escaping war or persecution to fleeing domestic abuse or facing homelessness. It can understandably be a very challenging time for families.

The good practice guide aims to give teachers and school staff the knowledge and guidance needed to create welcoming environments for families and young people with lived experience of involuntary dislocation. We are delighted to have worked with both Professor Renos Papadopoulos and Professor Panos Vostanis, who are well-renowned experts in this field.

During this project, Place2Be engaged directly with displaced families, young people, and school communities in Kent and East London to gather their stories and insights. These invaluable contributions informed this guide.

As part of this initiative, we have also been delivering specialised training to our counselling staff, equipping them to better understand and address the unique challenges faced by these families. We have also delivered an educational webinar for teachers and school staff, available to view on our Staffroom platform, which is accessed by over 13,000 school staff nationwide. We continue to provide information sessions for Place2Be partner schools professionals, encouraging school staff to exchange experiences of, and tools for, welcoming displaced children.

This work underscores our commitment to fostering inclusion and belonging in schools across the UK.