We caught up with Sabrina Whyte from our Arc Oakbridge School to find out more about how she supports the emotional wellbeing of the children.

"Hi, I’m Sabrina Whyte, and I work as a Pastoral Mentor at Arc Oakbridge School in Birmingham. We're a specialist school for autistic children and we aim to equip all of our children with the necessary life skills, academic or vocational qualifications and emotional intelligence to thrive. As a pastoral mentor, I work closely with our children to understand their needs, build trusting relationships, and support their personal development and wellbeing. My goal is to help each young person thrive during their time at our school."

What do you find most rewarding about working with our children?

"I love getting to spend time with the children and learning about who they are as individuals. Seeing their confidence and self-belief grow over time is so rewarding. When a young person who has previously struggled with being at school starts to feel comfortable and settled, that's such a special thing."

What techniques or strategies do you use?

"Building trust is crucial, so I focus first on forming a bond and safe space where children feel they can express themselves. I use a lot of visual aids, vision boards, and take children into new environments to aid learning. Encouraging them to believe in themselves, matching their pace, and using humour all help me connect. I also work closely with the families to align efforts at home and school to bring out the best in each young person."

Can you share an example of a time you really helped a young person to thrive?

"I worked with one young person who had very low confidence about coming into school and being around peers. By visiting her at home, working patiently to build trust, and using role-playing exercises to practice social skills, she eventually felt ready to come to school. Over time, her confidence grew tremendously - she made friends, participated actively in class, and really started to believe in herself. At graduation, she gave a beautiful speech to her peers. It was incredibly rewarding to see her progress and be part of her success."

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