Zoom recording - Supporting the transition back to school Parent wellbeing session 6

Our psychologist and life coach Helen Neary joins Rachel Maynard, Therapeutic Forest School Leader to offer lots tips and helpful advice to support our children and teenagers with a smooth return back to school after lockdown.

Topic: The Nature of lockdown
Start Time : Mar 4, 2021 07:48 PM

Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/XW-KG1liDbSnU795hv5uyVr2WMZo0FOdThDuA_GzZwKaN_zcog5OV0rr234DuwFs.UbbfGEYI0F2Wj8DE


Parents wellbeing

Being a parent of a child with mental health difficulties is a tough place to be. Getting the right and timely support for your child is a challenge with services so stretched. Parents report feeling isolated, alone, confused as to how to support their child and also cope with the impact of mental illness on the whole family.

Yesterday we were able to restart our woodland wellbeing sessions for parents. We shared a relaxing morning in the woods, we learned and practiced the 54321 mindful technique, enjoyed a morning of woodcraft and fire and an opportunity to meet up in a relaxed, safe non-judgemental space to talk and just be.
Our sessions are led by Rachel Maynard - an experienced Therapeutic Forest practitioner and Michelle Stone Trainee counsellor. We are grateful to the Sussex Community Foundation for their funding to allow these sessions to occur.

Our next parent support and wellbeing session is in October and more to follow.

checkout our booking page for more information.

Www.chichesterforestschools.com/bookings


We're back! sellout summer sessions and lots to look forward to!!

After being out of action for several months during COVID -19 lock down on we are delighted to have been able to get the children out for some adventures in the woods over the summer.

All our COVID measures are in place and we are looking forward to working with schools again and restarting out Babes in the Wood and OWLs home school group.

October half term dates are available to book and we look forward to offering our high quality forest school to as many groups as we can.


Stickman Christmas fun Monday 23rd December

Come and join us for some Christmas fun in Fishbourne. A fun woodland session inspired by stickman. Make your own stickman, sticklady or stick family, make some fun Christmas woodcrafts and enjoy a warm mince pie and marshmellows over the fire.

Our family sessions are run by our forest school leaders Emma and Julia and aimed at children 2-8yrs.

Session 10-12am and 13.30-3.30pm in The Secret Garden Fishbourne

for more information and to book tickets click here


Easter Holiday Sessions

Fun Easter sessions for Children and families this Easter. We are having Gruffalo and Dinosaur family adventures adventures and for older children out full day of woodland activities in the beautiful Kingley Vale Nature Reserve

Check it out on our booking page


Project Wild Play

,We were delighted to start Project Wild Play last week. Working with Chichester Nursery , Home-Start Chichester and District and Sanctuary in Chichester, we have put together a programme led by forest school leaders and a family worker to give young families support and an opportunity to play outdoors, build relationships and have fun.

If you would like more information about this programme please contact us on info@chichesterforestschools.com

We would like to thank Chichester District Council and Chichester City council for supporting this project.


Celebrating Recognition for our Forest School Practice

Chichester Forest Schools CIC has achieved recognition for good forest school practice from the Forest School Association now becoming one of only 46 forest schools in the country to achieve the Recognised Forest School Provider Status.

This has been awarded in recognition for the excellence of our nurture programmes where we have been working with vulnerable, children and young people who struggle in mainstream school. Many of theses children have suffered ACES (adverse childhood experiences) that have impacted on their confidence and self esteem.

"Children identified as having social and emotional issues and were all struggling with the day to day demands of school life. The sessions allowed them to develop their confidence and independence. They could explore and try out skills that were unfamiliar to them in a stress free non-judgmental environment. It was wonderful to see how they became more able to cope with situations that had previously been difficult for them and their self-esteem grew. They were able to apply this to their everyday life and for them it meant school became a better and safer place."

Zoe Gordon Head teacher.


Dinosaurs, the stoneage and Pirates this Feb half term

We have 3 fun holiday sessions for families with children 2-8yrs this half term. Kicking off on Monday 18th Feb we have Dastardly Dinosaurs and Pirates Ahoy Shipmates in the Secret Garden Fishbourne.

Friday 22nd we'll be in Brandy Hole Copse Nature Reserve going back to the stoneage with a session celebrating Julia Donaldsons fun book "Cave Baby"

Look at our booking page for more details


Support our Space to Breath Fundraising Campaign for Teenagers and Vulnerable Children

We are raising £14,871 through crowdfunding to allow us to continue running our support programme for teenagers. Our funding for the programme runs out at Christmas. Through out the year young people have been coming to our beautiful Fishbourne site. Our experienced team of forest school leaders and our counsellor have been working to build self esteem, confidence and wellbeing. The young people have been greatly benefitting from the session which is impacting on all aspects of their life including impacting on their ability to access education.

Please make a small pledge to our project (or a big one) and share our project with your friends and colleagues. We have a longing way to go and every bit counts!!!

see out project on  https://www.spacehive.com/space-to-breathe

 

 


Dangerous Dads June 23rd 10-12.30 Kingley Vale Nature Reserve

We are delighted to announce our first Dangerous dad Event for Dads/granddads/male carers and their children (boys and girls).

Come and joins us at Kingley Vale for a fantastic morning in the woods with our forest school leaders, firelighting, woodcraft, slack lining, den building rope swings and hot dogs over the camp fire. A fantastic event for dads and their children to meet up and enjoy quality time outdoors.

‘The Dangerous Dads Network helps to build stronger communities where fathers and male carers have the chance to become the best dads in the world for their children'

Children of all ages welcome up to 16 yrs.