Supporting Communication with Children


This document offers some useful scenarios of conversations that may happen once Theatre Cats is reopen.

General Principles
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Confidentiality around pupils and families is paramount
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Our guiding principle is to make Theatre Cats feel as normal as possible. We will use an Acknowledge, Contain, Continue approach to help keep Theatre Cats as safe and stable as possible for families.
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In some cases, children will need a greater level of support, these circumstances will always be reported to the school's Safeguarding lead.


Key Messages
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It is perfectly normal to feel like you do
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Theatre Cats is a safe space where you can talk to a trusted adult
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We will support you and help you if you need it
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Theatre Cats is a bit different, but we are here to have fun and get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Communication
Acknowledge
Contain

Continue

Conversation Examples

One of my family members/friends has died.

I am so sorry to hear that. That is such a sad thing.

It can be really upsetting when someone you care about passes away. We are all here for you if you want to talk about it. We are going to continue our dance now but I will keep checking in with you, to see that you are OK.

One of my family members is ill

I am so sorry to hear that X is unwell. You must be really worried about them.

It can be really worrying and upsetting when someone you care about is ill. That is completely normal. If you want to talk about this further just let me know. We are going to continue with our learning now. Let me know how X is.

Am I going to die/get ill? I am scared of being ill/dying.

I understand that you may be scared about this. Lots of people may be feeling that way at the moment. Falling ill can be scary, but that's why we are doing lots of things to make sure that we are all keeping safe. There are lots of adults who will do all they can to look after you. Let's make sure we are keeping as safe as we can while having some fun!


That child touched me/keeps touching me!

I'm sorry that happened to you. It must make you feel anxious. At the moment we need to make sure we don't touch each other so that we can keep each other safe. I will speak with X and make sure that we can all feel safe and continue with our dance.

Why does my class look like this? Why am I in a different room? Why do I have a different teacher?

You are right, there have been a lot of changes all over. It does feel a bit strange doesn't it? All the changes you see have been made to keep us as safe as possible. It's a bit different but change can be exciting too. Let's see how it goes and have a go at [x activity]

I miss my friends, why can't I be with them? I don't want to be in this group.

I understand that your friends are important to you. You must miss them. At Theatre Cats, we need to keep you all safe and that means smaller classes. Hopefully it won't stay like this for too long, but for now we need to stick to the rules.
What's really great is that you are back at Theatre Cats, and learning a great new dance to show your friends!

I want to be at home.
I understand that. You must miss your family at home whilst you're at Theatre Cats. You've been at home with your family for a long time but it's important for you to come to Theatre Cats, so we can learn together. You know you will see them again after Theatre Cats, has finished for the day. I'm sure they have missed you too. We are going to continue learning our dance now but remember you will be able to show your family at the end of the day when you see them!

(When a child isn't following the safety rules.) What's all the fuss about?

I understand that some of the rules are a bit different to what you are used to, but I'm concerned that you are not taking care of yourself. It is our job to keep each other safe. Rules are in place to keep us all safe and happy at Theatre Cats. Not following the rules means that you are not being safe. We are going to continue doing [x] now, but I want to see you being a superstar and following all our new rules.

Why is my friend not here?

You must miss them, I understand that. Some families have decided to stay at home for a little while longer. That's ok and we look forward to seeing them when they return. I'm really pleased that you are back though. It's been a long time and we've missed you.