Therapeutic Approach

Running Deer believe that a young person-centred approach to learning will offer the best outcome to each and every individual.

Running Deer’s dedicated team provide a holistic and inclusive approach to the social, emotional and learning development of the young person, with the emphasis on enabling them to become better people who can integrate fully into their community. We work with students in small groups, 1:1 or 2:1 depending on the level of support required.

We believe that there should be social equality between staff and students and that everyone’s opinion matters. Students have the right to challenge the relevance of what they are learning and are able to work at their own pace, without being compared to others.

Through individualised education programmes we are able to support our students to do the very best that they can.

We are committed to a Trauma and Mental Health Informed ethos that maximises the protective factors of school, by creating an environment of safety that has strong, positive and supportive relationships between everyone at its heart.

This requires staff and adults, who support the young people at Running Deer, to understand the impact of emotionally regulated and available adults, who can provide calmness and containment of young people, their parents/carers, or each other.

All staff are responsible for adhering to positive practise that promotes a student’s ability to engage in, and access, their learning. This is based on the understanding that students best achieve, develop, and reach, their true potential when staff are fair, flexible, trustworthy, respectful, and model positive relationships. It is the expectation at Running Deer that all staff, regardless of role, act in this way.

We offer a bespoke, therapeutic pathway for all of our students, comprising ecotherapy, equine assisted learning, access to therapy dogs, targeted interventions, arts and creative therapies, and our own Running Deer Emotional Curriculum.