Art is a universal language that can be more than just colour and media. It is a way of expressing thoughts, feelings and emotions. Encouraging children to express themselves through art has positive outcomes on individuals’ well-being, stress and anxiety. It provides a safe space for children to communicate their feelings and experiences, which is essential for their development. It takes the pressure away from tense or sensitive situations and allows a child to share and process at their own pace. Within our pastoral support sessions in schools we work with pupils to be creative with their emotions and produce beautiful art work reflecting this. It also helps to start meaningful and purposeful conversations which lead to a better understanding of the individual child and their experiences. In turn, this then builds trusting relationships between our pupils and staff which enables us to support them and their needs. Here are some examples of some of the artwork our pupils have been creating recently.

Written by: Natasha Danks