Resilience Framework key points
• The Resilience Framework summarises a set of ideas and practices that promote resilience. It is based on a body of research and practice development called Resilient Therapy (RT).
• This was originally developed by Angie Hart and Derek Blincow, with help from Helen Thomas and a group of parents and practitioners.
• Adapted versions have been created to adapt the Framework to different groups.
How the Resilience Framework was developed
We took the resilience research evidence base and padded other sets of ideas from our practice with very disadvantaged children and families in an NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic, working closely with schools and other agencies. Alongside this, Professor Angie Hart’s adoptive parenting knowledge went into the mix and, more recently, we’ve collected experiences from a much wider group of collaborators.
We distilled all these different sets of ideas into a handy table that summarises our approach and acts as a reminder to people of what’s included. We’ve called this table various things over the years, and have represented it in different ways – firstly, as a Resilient Therapy Magic Box of potions and remedies, a toolkit of ideas, then a more detailed summary table.
The current Resilience Framework doesn’t use the language of ‘therapy’, so that it is more accessible to a wider range of people. It is available as a black and white Resilience Framework in case you, or the young people you support, prefer to colour code the Framework yourselves, or don’t have access to a colour printer. There is also a blank Resilience Framework so that you can write your own items if you wish.
The Resilience Framework has been translated into Greek, Spanish, Turkish, French, Swedish, Portuguese, Danish and Polish with more languages on the way. We’ve also been developing a version of the table for use with adults, the Resilience Framework for Adults, also available in German, and a Family Resilience Framework to support members of the wider family (parents, siblings, carers etc.).
All our tables and frameworks are available as PDFs and can be downloaded from the Boingboing website. But the Interactive Framework we’ve designed especially for schools is probably what you want at the moment. Marton Primary School, Blackpool, have also co-produced a Resilience Framework for Primary School children.
The Summary Table & how it works
The Summary Table visually shows you how we have split our ideas under five headings or compartments – Basics, Belonging, Learning, Coping and Core Self – to help us think strategically and practically about doing things resiliently.
Within each of these compartments is a selection of evidenced based ideas or remedies, to draw on when trying to make a resilient move with a child or young person. Navigate through the table to find out more about each term.
The Resilience Framework Summary Table does look pretty simple, but there’s quite a lot of work behind it. And if you’re thinking you are still unsure about how to give it a go, take a look at the Resilient Therapy background page and see if it can help.
If you really want to get stuck into understanding how we put it together, and get more information about how to use it, you might want to get hold of one of our books.
We’ve also used it in other places on this website to give you more of an idea of how to put some of the ideas into practice so don’t bother buying a book before you have had a good look around the website for ideas such as
• The Resilient Classroom – a Tutor resource
• And check out ‘One Step Forward‘ – a Looked After Children’s resilience resource
• Have a look at the film below which was features Hove Park School (secondary) in Brighton where the Resilient Classroom resource was developed as part of a whole school approach to promoting resilience.
Audit the whole school
A systematic approach to understanding your school and identifying where and what you might do to better promote resilience can help the whole school community to look through a ‘resilience lens’ in order to close the gap for disadvantaged pupils or those facing additional challenges.
Resilience Zap
Try a resilience zap if you want to get the following going across the school community: A basic level of understanding about building resilience and what it involves; Some shared language around disadvantaged pupils and support for them; Building of commitment to really go the extra mile with pupils who need it; Inspiring ideas based on evidence of what works.
What is Academic Resilience?
What is Academic Resilience key points: Good educational outcomes despite adversity; We can spot the impact of academic resilience through individuals doing better than we might have expected; Promoting academic resilience will lead to better behaviour and results for disadvantaged pupils.
Which pupils are we talking about?
All pupils cope with some adversity, and pupils who experience multiple disadvantages face greater challenges in schools. But all pupils will benefit from an academic resilience approach. There are many disadvantages and stressors that can have a negative impact upon pupils; these are called risk factors.
What can schools do?
Focusing on just a few quick and easy activities can have an impact. A whole schools approach makes a bigger difference. Get a few things going, make sure you are doing them well and share them with the whole community. Evidence and practice based experience tells us there are a few key actions that you could take in school that would have impact.
How can services support me?
We understand the idea of commissioning or buying in help from external services can be daunting and know that there are differences between commissioning and procurement. You can use this page to think about why schools need to buy in services, and how to ensure services are good enough.
What about parents?
Every school knows that the more engaged a parent is in their child’s learning, the more learning is supported in the home. Some parents are dead easy to involve, eager to get your attention and are queuing up to talk to staff at every opportunity. But often the very families you would like to be involved more, can be the hardest to hook into school life.
Co-production in promoting resilience – what does this mean for schools?
Co-production is a value-based approach that views people who use a service as assets with important knowledge and skills. It harnesses this experience, knowledge and skill to promote positive change, and design, produce and deliver better services.
Our schools-based resilience projects
Our schools-based resilience research adapts the Resilience Framework for use in schools and helps schools make resilient moves across the whole school community. Many different types of school are working with us on this.
The Resilient Classroom Resource
This resilient classroom resource was created and developed to provide practical help for tutors and other pastoral staff and is suitable for use in the tutor group setting. It supports the tutor group structure and helps build relationships between tutors and students. Students and heads of years have been involved, through consultation and participation, in providing useful and appropriate exercises.
