Held
Trauma-informed support for school staff
"84% of teachers say challenging pupil behaviour negatively affects their mental health."
Teacher Wellbeing Index, 2025
Why this exists
Schools train staff to manage incidents, but almost nowhere gives staff space to recover from them. Pastoral, behaviour, SEN and safeguarding teams carry a huge emotional load — often quietly, often alone. Held fills that gap with something grounded, realistic, and shaped by real school experience.
Staff wellbeing across the sector continues to decline, with pastoral, safeguarding and SEND teams carrying the greatest emotional load.
Teacher Wellbeing Index 2025
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81% of teachers and 86% of senior leaders report feeling stressed
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79% experience psychological symptoms linked to work (sleep disruption, irritability, difficulty concentrating)
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84% say challenging pupil behaviour negatively affects their mental health
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52% are actively considering leaving within five years
DfE National Behaviour Survey, May 2025
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Behaviour disruption at its highest level since tracking began
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38% of teachers report daily serious behaviour incident
Ofsted Annual Report 2025 (SEND)
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Of 28 local area SEND inspections: only 7 showed positive experiences and outcomes; 7 showed widespread or systemic failings
The Evidence
The Gap
A practical, trauma-informed support service for school staff who deal with the emotional impact of challenging incidents, behaviour escalation, safeguarding load, and the general intensity of school life. This isn't behaviour training and it isn't pupil-focused work. It's a space for the adults who carry the emotional weight of school life.
What This Is
Schools have strong systems for pupils — behaviour policies, safeguarding frameworks, SEND pathways — but far fewer structures for supporting the adults who carry these systems.
Pastoral, safeguarding and SEND teams routinely absorb emotional residue from incidents, complex relational dynamics, high-stakes decision-making, and cumulative stress over time. Without structured support, this leads to burnout, reduced clarity, and diminished capacity.
What's Offered
Support After Difficult Incidents 1:1 or small-group debriefs after restraint, violence, medical emergencies, disclosures, or other high-impact moments. Regulation and grounding strategies, plus follow-up guidance if needed.
Reflective Spaces for Key Teams Regular monthly or termly sessions for pastoral, behaviour, SEN and safeguarding staff — during the school day, after school, or as INSET/twilight.
Trauma-Informed Support Around Behaviour
Helping staff stay steady when a pupil isn't, understand personal triggers, and recover after difficult interactions. Links directly to Ofsted's Behaviour & Attitudes, Personal Development, and Leadership & Management areas.
Longer-Term Partnerships Priority access after incidents, monthly reflective practice, DSL/pastoral supervision, termly wellbeing clinics — tailored to your school.
Investment
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One-off INSET / twilight session - from £550
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Half-day whole-staff INSET - from £80
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Small-group reflective practice (up to 8 staff, 90 mins) - £275 per session, or £750 for a termly cycle of three
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DSL / pastoral supervision, 1:1 — £110 per session, or £600 for a block of six
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Debrief after a serious incident, at short notice — £250
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Embedded partnership — from £2,500 per year, tailored to school size
(Prices exclude travel outside of London)
About Alison
I spent 5 years as a Head of Year, sitting in the exact meetings, incidents, and safeguarding conversations this project is built around — I know the emotional toll first-hand, not just in theory. I later trained as a psychotherapist (MA Psychotherapy & Psychodynamic Counselling, Goldsmiths), and now bring clinical, trauma-informed practice to the same rooms I used to work in, from the other side. Very few people offering this kind of support have actually done the job the staff in front of them are doing.