Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 What is Zippy’s Friends? Giving children skills for life “Your children will shortly be starting the Zippy’s Friends programme. Zippy’s Friends is for ages 5-7 and we’ll be running it with [Years 1 and 2]. The programme run by [class teacher], who has been specially trained to deliver it.”

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Zippy’s Friends teaches young children Better coping strategies: Helpful ways to deal with everyday problems Better social skills: How to communicate and get on with others “Understanding and communicating your feelings is essential to doing well at school. It is also important to know what do to if you are sad, angry or nervous.”

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 “Zippy’s Friends runs in over 30 countries. Over one million children have done the programme around the world. Our school is part of a big global network.”

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Zippy’s Friends is for ALL children, not just those with any difficulties “We teach children about physical health – how to eat well and exercise, so why not also teach about emotional health? All children can benefit from learning how to cope with stress or problems that most children encounter.”

Zippy’s Friends supports the school’s responsibility to be a healthy school and give PSHE lessons

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Zippy’s Friends teaches children that when you have a difficult feeling, like angry or sad, your solution must stick to these two rules “The “Golden rules to a good solution” are one of the most important parts of the programme . Your child will bring one of these Zippy Tips cards home – help your child to use it to find a solution to a tricky situation.”

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Evaluated The programme has been independently tested by universities and has always been proven effective at improving coping and social skills [ If you want to include it, more information about the evaluations can be found at http://partnershipforchildren.org.uk/teachers/zippy-s-friends-teachers/evaluation.html ]

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 “These are the characters in the story, including Zippy the stick insect. The stories focus on a group of young children and the issues that lots of young children face around friends and family.”

Story-based, with six sections: Feelings Communication Making and breaking relationships Conflict resolution Dealing with change and loss We cope

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Fun Activities “Children enjoy the activities – they are drawing, acting, and cut and stick activities”

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 A taste of Zippy’s Friends “In Zippy’s Friends, the children learn about different solutions they can use in different tricky situations, if they have a ‘difficult feeling’. All children are different, so we never say there is one best answer – whatever works best for one child may not be best for another. It’s about helping the children to find their own coping strategies.” Demonstrate the Star and Rubbish Bin game with parents (Module 1, Session 4 using Activity Sheets 1,8,9 and 10). You can use examples for Star and Rubbish bin from children's everyday events, or ask the parents to come up with examples, but remind them that it shouldn’t be something so personal or difficult for them that they can’t discuss it. Afterwards, discuss what children can learn through this activity.

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Home Activities “There will be a home activity sheet at the end of each module. Your child can complete these with you or any other family member. They are a really good chance for you to talk about what your child is learning in Zippy’s Friends”

What parents say “Very specific and useful tools. To put words to feelings, finding different ways to view them, and fix things that are hard.” “Zippy helps us to find solutions to problems at home.”

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Any questions?

Looked After Chn Conference 03.02.15 Thank you for coming Let parents know how important their support is, and how they can support the Zippy’s Friends sessions in school.