Supporting Emotional Well-being in Schools
At Kangaroo Family Nurturing, we are incredibly passionate about promoting emotional health and resilience in school communities. We offer a range of tailored services to support children and staff:
Play Therapy
We offer 1:1 sessions to help children explore and express their emotions through play—a natural medium for healing and growth. Our qualified Play Therapist has over 25 years experience working with children, including 16 years in NHS services.
Targeted Emotional Well-being Interventions
We deliver bespoke 1:1 support for children experiencing emotional, social, or behavioural challenges, helping them develop self-regulation, confidence, and coping skills.
Therapeutic Group Work
Kangaroo Calm Kids: A group intervention focused on helping children manage anxiety, big feelings, and self-regulation (see below for more details).
Kangaroo Confident Kids: A strengths-based group to build self-esteem, social confidence, and emotional resilience (see below for more details).
Staff Support & Consultation
We offer professional consultation, reflective space, and guidance for school staff supporting pupils with emotional and behavioural needs.
Our approach is relational, attachment and trauma-informed, and grounded in child development and neuroscience. We aim to work in partnership with schools to create nurturing environments where children can thrive.
Contact us to discuss how we can support your pupils and staff.
Group Interventions
for schools
Kangaroo Calm Kids is a gentle and nurturing small group programme (maximum of four children) designed for pupils who experience anxiety or struggle with emotional regulation. These weekly sessions offer a calm, supportive space where children can explore their emotions through creativity, connection, and therapeutic play.
Each session includes:
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Creative arts and sensory-based activities
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Therapeutic story
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Opportunities to build emotional language and self-awareness
Children are supported to:
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Recognise what's happening in their body and mind
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Develop practical, age-appropriate strategies for managing emotions
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Feel more in control, confident, and emotionally secure
Sessions are carefully paced and adapted to suit each child's emotional needs, creating a steady and compassionate environment for growth. This small group setting also gently introduces children to co-regulation with peers, supporting social and emotional learning.
Ideal for children who:
Appear anxious, overwhelmed, or withdrawn
Struggle with emotional outbursts or shutdowns
Benefit from a calm and structured emotional support group
Sessions run weekly in term-time blocks of 6 or 12 weeks.
Kangaroo Confident Kids is an empowering and uplifting small group programme (maximum of four children) designed to boost self-esteem, social skills, and inner confidence in children who may feel unsure of themselves or find social situations challenging.
Each session offers:
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Creative arts and strengths-based reflection
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Role-play and imaginative exploration
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Therapeutic stories and sensory play
Children are supported to:
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Discover and celebrate their unique strengths
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Build resilience and positive self-talk
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Practise social interaction and develop friendship skills in a safe space
These sessions are playful, encouraging, and empowering—helping children feel seen, heard, and valued for who they are. The small group setting also promotes peer connection and shared learning experiences, which can further support confidence and belonging.
Ideal for children who:
Display low confidence or poor self-image
Avoid social situations or struggle to make friends
Need gentle encouragement to express themselves
Sessions run weekly in term-time blocks in 6 or 12 week blocks and are tailored to meet each child's individual needs and group dynamics.
🌟 Kangaroo Calm Kids – Therapeutic Group for Emotional Regulation and Anxiety 🌟
💥 Kangaroo Confident Kids – Therapeutic Group for Self-Esteem and Social Confidence 💥
What schools say about us.
We have been using Kathryn for the past 2 years to deliver 1:1 therapeutic play, small group sessions around mental health, anxiety and transition and also supervision sessions for DSLs / school staff.
Her work with both the children and staff has been invaluable and both her knowledge and experience is exemplary. I highly recommend Kathryn as an exceptional practitioner.
Donna McNicoll
Headteacher
St Marys RC Primary School
Kathryn (Kangaroo Family Nurturing) has been absolutely invaluable to our school this year. We have children in school that unfortunately in their short lives have suffered real trauma, Kathryn is insightful, methodical and endlessly helpful. She gives context to the feelings and behaviours that are being displayed and has been an incredible help in communicating this information to carers and other professionals.
Laura Wilkinson
Pastoral Lead and designated safeguarding lead
Banks Lane Infant school
Kathryn from Kangaroo Kids has been running a series of group sessions with children in school who suffer significantly with low self-esteem as a result of early trauma and challenging home life. Her sensitivity and empathy has allow all the children to find a place where they are able to share their own journeys with others in a safe and non-judgemental environment. The children have waited eagerly for the sessions and have benefited greatly from them, bringing more confidence and positivity into their school days.
As a headteacher, I have been moved by the children’s eagerness to share their positive affirmations with me after the sessions, seeing that they now see the value in themselves that we see in them.
This is thanks to Kathryn!
Greg Ball
Headteacher
Beal Vale Primary
Kathryn worked in our school for a period of 15 months offering play therapy. Kathryn is very organised and professional bringing all her own resources which were of high quality and enjoyed by the children. Kathryn built great relationships with all involved, she kept parents and school well informed throughout and we had regular meetings and reports, detailing the child's progress backed with data.
The child she worked with developed so much throughout the process and by the end of the sessions he was like a different child. His confidence and self esteem was noticed by all staff who work with him and his parents. He has started developing good relationships with his peers, is able to express his feelings and regulate when needed.
Kathryn has a wealth of knowledge and experience which she happily shares with others which enhances the whole therapeutic experience. I would highly recommend her services and gladly have her back anytime!