As a Virtual School Head, you know all too well the exhausting cycle: children being suspended, excluded, or placed on part-time timetables — not because they’re unwilling to learn, but because their needs aren’t being understood or met. Just as it feels like you’ve got the right plan in place, a change in placement, carer, or school can trigger another crisis. And while therapeutic support is essential, many children are left waiting months — or years — to access it. In the meantime, what more can we try?

This is where sensory needs are so often the missing link.

So many care-experienced children are living in a constant state of survival, and traditional strategies won’t land unless their nervous systems feel safe. That’s why I’ve spent the past 3 years developing and delivering a successful trauma-informed sensory offer within a Virtual School — and the results speak for themselves. When we start by meeting sensory needs, we build the foundations for regulation, engagement, and connection.