Attachment and Trauma Aware Settings (ATAS)
An Attachment and Trauma Aware Setting is a national term being used to identify schools where all the staff are aware of the neuroscience that stops vulnerable children effectively accessing learning and have specific understanding of attachment and trauma that they can draw upon to develop setting and classroom practice.
This nationally recognised programme supports schools in embedding trauma-informed and attachment-aware practices, helping vulnerable children access learning more effectively. It aligns with statutory guidance for Designated Teachers and Governing Bodies.
The programme supports a relational based approach encompassing theory, language and practice, rooted in evidence.
We have developed the model for training over the past eight years based on feedback and ongoing impact evaluation. We use the ‘lead team’ approach. This means that each school will need to identify a lead team of a minimum of three and a maximum of five people who will attend the three core training days and then take the learning back in school to carry out the action research and take the lead to disseminate the training across their settings with staff.
The lead team will be key to ensuring the school can quickly embed the learning from the training days into practice, around individual cases as well as school policies more generally. The team should consist of 3-5 members of staff and must include the Designated Teacher and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Examples of the other members of the team could include a member of support staff, a governor, a parental/pastoral support officer or a classroom teacher.
The three days formal input will be spread out across the terms. The Virtual School will support with termly buddy visits to support your implementation and planning.
All participating schools will be required to sign up to the Attachment Research Community (ARC) and complete their audit between days two and three if this hasn’t already been completed.
If you are interested in this training please contact hcc.vstraining@hants.gov.uk.