Triangulation: the Power of Collaborative Support

In my previous place of work as a SENDCo, one of the most impactful elements of our provision was the close professional collaboration between the SEND team and our in-house play therapist. I do realise that this was a luxury, and something that the headteacher valued the importance of, for our pupils. Ultimately, when supporting pupils in or unit specialising in Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Needs, it was imperative that they had access to this level of support. Nonetheless, the caseload ranged from children in Year 6 both across the mainstream and specialist setting. Our data indicated that behind Speech, Language and Communication Needs, this was our biggest area on our SEND register.  Reflecting back, it was one of the most powerful examples of how therapeutic and educational practice can come together to support children in a genuinely holistic way.

The school valued that traditional relationship systems alone would never be enough; a restorative, nurturing and relational approach to supporting behaviour was embedded in the tapestry of the school. So, it was a natural part of the school’s ethos that children needed adults who could understand what sat beneath the behaviour, and systems that supported both their emotional world and their learning.

Having a skilled play therapist embedded within the school allowed us to do exactly that.

Understanding Play Therapy in a School Context

Play therapy is grounded in the understanding that children often communicate their experiences, worries and emotions through play rather than words. Through carefully structured sessions, children can express feelings, process experiences and explore difficult emotions in a safe, contained environment.

Our therapist worked from this child-centred perspective, providing a protected therapeutic space where children could explore what was happening internally — something that many of them were not yet able to articulate verbally.

For many pupils with trauma backgrounds or underlying neurodiversity, this space was transformative.

Triad of Collaboration: SENDCo, Therapist and ELSA

As SENDCo, my role was to coordinate termly and timely support across the school and ensure that interventions matched the needs of the children we were seeing. The collaboration between myself, the play therapist and our trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) created a layered system of SEMH support.

The structure worked because each role brought something different:

The Play Therapist

• Provided specialist therapeutic intervention

• Supported children with trauma, attachment difficulties and emotional distress

• Shared professional insights into patterns emerging through play and close 1:1 observation in a smaller and quieter space.  

• External supervision for the play therapist also offered additional insights to be explored in follow up sessions.

  
  
  
  

The ELSA

• Delivered targeted emotional literacy support

• Reinforced emotional vocabulary and regulation strategies

• Provided regular relational check-ins for children needing ongoing support

  
  
  
  

The SENDCo

• Oversaw the wider picture of need across the school

• Coordinated interventions and reviewed impact

• Ensured communication between staff, parents and external professionals

This collaboration allowed us to move beyond isolated interventions and towards a genuinely joined-up approach.

The Value of the Caseload

One of the most important aspects of the service was managing the therapist’s caseload carefully. Decisions about which children accessed play therapy were never made lightly.

We considered:

• Trauma history

• Attachment patterns

• Behavioural presentation

• Emotional regulation needs

• Capacity for engagement with therapeutic work

• Evidence base from Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

• Staff insights from Pupil Strategic Meetings/ Pupil Progress Meetings/ Attendance Meetings/ Safeguarding Register reviews

  
  

It was a holistic view of the needs of the school and regular professional discussions helped us prioritise the children who would benefit most from this level of support. These conversations also shaped our wider SEMH strategy across the school.

The insights emerging from play therapy sessions often helped us better understand behaviours we were seeing in the classroom. Patterns in play sometimes revealed anxieties, experiences or internal struggles that children had never verbalised.

This information helped staff respond with greater empathy and understanding.

Working with Parents

Another powerful aspect of the service was the involvement of parents in joint meetings.. Our therapist was present at key transition times to observe and interact with families.

Meetings between the therapist, school staff and families created opportunities for deeper understanding of the child’s experiences and insights both at home and in school. Parents often felt reassured knowing that their child had access to specialist support within a familiar setting.

These conversations helped everyone work from the same understanding of the child’s needs.

Instead of fragmented support systems, we were able to build a more consistent, relational approach around the child.

Creating a Whole-School Impact

The presence of an in-house play therapist had a ripple effect across the school. Staff became increasingly aware of the importance of relational safety, emotional regulation and trauma-informed practice.

Discussions with the therapist often informed staff understanding of:

• emotional triggers

• attachment behaviours

• regulation needs

• the role of play in processing experiences

It encouraged us to look beyond behaviour and consider the emotional story behind it.

This shift in thinking influenced classroom practice, pastoral support and how adults responded to children experiencing distress. Moreover, it created consistent strategy plans that all staff could follow.

Reflecting on the Impact

Looking back, I felt incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside such a skilled therapist. I was also lucky enough to be their lead contact at school for reviews during her Level 7 training via Play Therapy UK (PTUK). Their knowledge, sensitivity and professional insight strengthened the support we were able to offer children with complex SEMH needs.

The triangualtio of support from:

• a dedicated SENDCo role

• a trained ELSA

• and an embedded play therapy service

  
  

created a strong foundation for supporting emotional wellbeing in the school- this level of support was invaluable.

Why Provision Like This Matters

The experience reinforced something that continues to shape my professional thinking today: children cannot access learning if they do not feel emotionally safe.

Therapeutic services within schools should not be an add-on or luxury. For many children, particularly those with trauma histories, they are an essential part of enabling engagement with education.

Reflecting on that time now, it feels important to continue exploring and evidencing the impact of services like this within schools. With rising levels of SEMH (particularly EBSA) need across education, understanding how therapeutic support, SEND leadership and relational practice work together is more important than ever.

Most importantly, it reminded me that when professionals collaborate — sharing expertise, insight and care — children benefit from a far more compassionate and effective system of support.