Who we are
What we do
The Nurture Group Network is the international umbrella organization for nurture groups. We aim to support our members in the incredibly valuable work they do to improve the life chances of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people. We also aim to raise the profile of nurture, to make the concept more widely understood, and to push the nurture agenda right into the heart of Government.
We currently have a membership base of around 800, and draw our members from a broad pool of primary, secondary and early years settings. There are currently around 1500 nurture groups active in the United Kingdom.
What is a nurture group?
Nurture groups vary in nature depending on the settings in which they take place; from sessional groups at primary schools, to whole nurturing schools, to nurturing activities taking place in Young Offenders Institutes and Pupil Referral Units. The main thing they all have in common is a grounding in attachment theory; an area of psychology which explains the need for any person to be able to form secure and happy relationships with others in the formative years of their lives.
How do nurture groups work?
Nurture groups vary in the actual day to day running of the group, according to the individual developmental needs of the students and the creativity of the nurture staff. However, all nurture groups have a few things in common:
- Breakfast time – the whole group eat breakfast with the nurture staff. This is a great opportunity for students to learn table manners, etiquette, listening and speaking skills, as well as to see the positive interaction between other peers and nurture staff.
- Sofas and soft chairs – the nurture group is a bridge between home and education, breaking down barriers to educational inclusion that nurture students have. A nurture room looks quite different from a normal classroom, with squashy soft chairs, sofas and pillows for the students to nestle down in, a kitchen area to prepare breakfast, and a study area where learning takes place.
- Rewarding good behaviour – many nurture students have social, emotional or behavioural difficulties, and can exhibit worrying or challenging behaviours as a result of this. Typically, in a mainstream setting, these behaviours will be punished. In the nurture room, these behaviours are acknowledged as not being the correct way to behave, and positive behaviours (such as walking properly in the corridor, playing nicely with other students, or listening properly to other students) are rewarded. This has been proven to be a more effective way of encouraging behaviour change in children and young people.
Want to know more?
There’s lots of information contained within our website about nurture groups and the effect they have – see the “Our Impact” section for more information.
The Nurture Room
The Nurture Group Network, in association with True Vision North, are proud to present The Nurture Room. The film, following the stories of three Glasgow-based nurture groups over the course of a year, is an excellent introduction to the world of nurture. A truly beautiful and moving film, it has already been awarded “Best Feature Length Documentary” award at the 2010 Scottish Mental Health Film Festival.
Curious? Watch the trailer!