Children supported by Virtual Schools often experience significant loss and separation, including family breakdown, care placements, or disrupted schooling. These experiences can deeply affect their mental health, behaviour, and ability to engage with education, making consistent emotional and academic support essential.

Masterclass Overview

This 90-minute masterclass explores how grief, trauma, and attachment disruptions shape a child’s learning journey and well-being, particularly in the context of Virtual Schools, where students may lack a stable school environment. Participants will gain practical, trauma-informed strategies to recognise emotional distress, respond sensitively, and provide tailored support across multiple learning and care settings.

The session also builds staff confidence in discussing difficult emotions, fostering a compassionate and responsive Virtual School culture that acknowledges loss and ensures students receive the stability and care they need to thrive.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the psychological impact of loss, separation, and grief on children and young people in the context of care placements, disrupted education, and unstable home environments.
2. Identify how emotional distress manifests in learning, behaviour, and social interactions, particularly in virtual and multi-setting educational experiences where signs may be harder to detect.
3. Develop trauma-informed approaches to support students coping with loss, ensuring consistent well-being strategies across schools, carers, and social services.
4. Strengthen staff confidence in discussing difficult emotions and providing emotional support, using remote and in-person communication methods that suit the needs of Virtual School students.
5. Build a compassionate Virtual School culture that acknowledges and responds to loss effectively, advocating for coordinated support across schools, caregivers, and mental health services.