6. Inclusion, Safeguarding and Professional Judgement

Children experience, communicate and regulate emotions in different ways. The Feel It Framework should be adapted with sensitivity to each child’s age, communication, development, culture and individual needs.

Inclusive practice

Some children may:

- Find it difficult to identify or name internal sensations

- Communicate without spoken language

- Need visual choices or additional processing time

- Prefer movement rather than stillness

- Find breathing exercises uncomfortable

- Experience sensory differences

- Interpret language very literally

- Need an adult to co-regulate with them

- Express the same emotion differently from their peers

Children should not be required to close their eyes, breathe in a particular way, speak publicly about feelings or take part in an activity that causes discomfort.

Offer alternatives wherever possible. A child might point to a visual, draw, write, move, observe, use an object or speak privately with a trusted adult.

Avoid public disclosure

Children should not be pressured to share personal experiences or identify their emotions in front of the class.

Whole-class activities should allow children to:

- Pass

- Use an imaginary example

- Think silently

- Share privately later

- Participate without explaining personal circumstances

Safeguarding

The Feel It Framework may help a child find words for something that is worrying them. If a child shares information that raises a safeguarding concern:

- Listen calmly

- Do not investigate or ask leading questions

- Do not promise confidentiality

- Reassure the child that they were right to tell someone

- Follow the school’s safeguarding policy

- Report the concern promptly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Feel It Framework is an educational wellbeing resource. It does not diagnose mental health, developmental or medical conditions, and it does not replace specialist assessment, therapy, safeguarding procedures or individual support plans.

Teachers should continue to use their professional judgement and follow existing school policies at all times.