Joe's story

This is the story of a 5 year old boy we shall call ‘Joe'

Joe, who was in Year 1, was referred to The Place2Be by his mother because he was refusing to go to school. Joe would become very distressed when Mum left him, clinging to her and crying. This was also distressing for Mum, who hated leaving him in such a state.

The teacher reassured Mum that eventually Joe would settle in class. Mum however described Joe as having always been a clingy child and lacking in confidence.

When I (the School Project Manager) did the initial assessment SDQ (Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire) with Mum I noticed that she was quite an anxious woman and I wondered whether some of Joe's problems may be due to Mum's anxiety and lack of confidence. Joe did not seem to be coping with separation so I decided on long-term 1:1 work.

In addition to Joe working with his Place2Be counsellor, I offered to see Mum every two weeks, initially to offer her support around managing Joe's"clinginess". I also discussed specific strategies with Joe's teacher which could be used to make Joe's separation in the mornings easier.

This three-way approach has proved very successful. Joe has developed a strong attachment to his counsellor but in a way that has allowed him to develop a sense of his own individuality. He has become 'increasingly more confident in his play, trying out new things and playing independently'. He has been able to express issues regarding his family relationships to his counsellor.

The teacher reports that Joe no longer gets upset in the mornings and Mum also seems less worried and anxious about him.