Download: Core needs essential for development - a helpful tool when working with your child's school
Are you struggling to communicate with your child’s school or finding it difficult to articulate why your child is struggling? If so the following may be helpful…
Research by the Division of Clinical Psychology (2018) emphasises that as humans, we are social beings. In order to develop emotionally and physically the following needs must be met:
To experience a sense of justice and fairness within our wider community;
To have a sense of security and belonging in a family and social group;
To be safe, valued, accepted and loved in our earliest relationships with caregivers;
To meet basic physical and material needs for ourselves and our dependants;
To form intimate relationships and partnerships;
To feel valued and effective within family and social roles;
To experience and manage a range of emotions;
To be able to contribute, achieve and meet goals;
To be able to exercise agency and control in our lives;
To have a sense of hope, belief, meaning and purpose in our lives
I imagine that many parents and carers supporting children and young people with mental health difficulties will immediately be able to identify areas that are lacking or problematic in their lives.
When I work with young people common themes are a lack of security and belonging to a social group, feelings of injustice, loss of agency, hope and feeling they can’t achieve. These are not wishy washy minor matters they profoundly affect children and young lives.
If you are a parent or carer the core needs above may be a helpful tool for discussions with school staff - using it to highlight where things are working and where things are tough for your child or young person. Having a framework - especially evidence based - to support understanding of the situation can make a difference - and help you to feel more confident also.
Download a prompt sheet for discussion here: Core needs - prompt sheet for discussion