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On Friday 9th and 10th of June2011, Girasol ran the second two day training on Using Creative Relaxation in the Classroom with 9 teachers from 5 Oxford primary schools. This makes a total of 24 teachers from Over 15 schools in Oxford who have now received the training and are able to introduce Creative Relaxation in the classroom.

Following the training one of the participants commented:

‘This is not simply a method of relaxation but a tool that can much broader implications (like raising self esteem)’

Girasol are working in partnership with Oxford local authority to spread the training to as many primary schools as possible.

In September 2010 Girasol completed the first formal Uk research evaluating the impact of Creative Relaxation in Primary Schools, with 180 children in one primary school within Rebridge Essex. Profession Ann Buchanan from Oxford who led the research stated in her report ‘Promoting Child Well-being’ that:

“What can be said about Creative Relaxation with some confidence is that, the feedback from pupils and teachers, as well as findings from the previous pilot studies, suggests that Creative Relaxation training may offer real benefits for children that could give them life-long stress-management strategies.”

The study which lasted six months, started with the training of 4 teachers within the school, in how to use the technique themselves. We than went on to train them in how to use the technique in the classroom with children. In total the teachers trained 90 children in CR, the other 90 acted as a control group.

In her report Professor Buchanan praises the technique for providing an economic model of reaching primary school children by training their teachers. She also comments on the fact that the training, unlike many well-being interventions is manualised which ensures some standardisation in training.

Teachers and children who took part in the research said:

‘You are teaching children an important life skill; something that they can draw on all their life.’

‘I had a nightmare last night and now I am happy and joyful’.‘When I had trouble sleeping at home I used this sensational technique. I was so relaxed instantly.’

‘ Today I felt really different to the usual days… I felt so calm. It was like my own world. Everything is the way it was. I wish it was like that forever…’

Professor Buchanan concluded in her report that Creative Relaxation is a ‘promising’ intervention’ and she recommends that a further controlled trial be undertaken with a larger group of children. Girasol is currently planning a larger pilot with 700 children for 2011.

Following three successful pilots using Creative Relaxation with 49 staff from 22 schools in Redbridge Local Authority, Girasol Foundation is pleased to announce a year -long research project focusing on the impact Creative Relaxation can have on primary aged children. The overall aim of the project will be to assess the outcomes (emotional,/behavioural and cognitive) on children after undertaking the training in Creative Relaxation.

Girasol is delighted to be working in partnership with Professor Ann Buchanan, The Director of the Oxford Centre for Research into Parenting and Children, part of Oxford University. Professor Buchanan, who recently addressed the Government’s Strategy Unit about preparing children for the 21st century said:

‘ I am delighted to be working with Girasol on this exciting project. The well being of children has to be one of our society’s highest priorities and Creative Relaxation is both a fascinating and innovative approach to teaching well being in the classroom '

Professor Buchanan has spent ten years working as a child psychiatric social worker in an inner urban area. Her current research interests are promoting well being in children especially those at risk of social exclusion. Some of her earlier work was based on longitudinal data from the National Child Development Study. This was informed by her field studies and research eliciting the views of children. Recent field studies include a project for The Nuffield Foundation on welfare reporting for children under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989.

The project commenced in January 2010 with 180 pupils and the outcomes are expected to be known by autumn 2010.

One child said:

 ‘I was worried about the reading test, but after the relaxation thoughts about it left my mind.’

Jas Leverton Headteacher from Glade Primary school said:

"We taught the relaxation to the children before their SATS and we noticed a marked improvement. Generally children have done their best in their SATS, they have achieved their full potential. After learning Creative Relaxation, they seem to have a new coping mechanism. They do the relaxation before they take any test and it seems to take the edge of.  Sometimes they just shut down and think that they can’t do it, but this time it has flowed out onto the paper. "

Girasol gave a keynote speech at the Redbridge PHSE conference on April 1st 2009.

The event attended by all PHSE co-ordinators from over 80 schools in the borough was on the theme of Sustainability. Girasol’s presentation with the title Sustainable Healthy Schools requires Sustainable Emotionally Healthy Teachers' Redbridge, linked the broad theme of sustainability, which is underpinned by a commitment to care,  to the importance of the emotional health and well being of teachers. The speaker MaryLouise said :

‘Staff behaviour is often the most important determinant of pupil behaviour, yet teachers face many emotional challenges that threaten their wellbeing and their relationships with pupils. Interventions to enhance teachers’ emotion management skills are clearly required to safeguard the wellbeing of teachers’

Mary Louise announced the next pilot in Creative Relaxation to be held in Redbridge in June 2009. The course, which is 5 weeks long is currently in progress. For more information about future courses, or if you would like to commission a course please contact us on the following email: info@girasol.org.uk

In November 2008 Girasol teamed up with Redbridge Local Education Authority to pilot the Creative Relaxation technique with a group of 27 teachers from 8 schools. This was the first UK pilot in Creative Relaxation and the initial findings have been encouraging.

* 92% said that they would recommend the training to other teachers.
* 84% of those trained said that they had learnt something new about relaxation.
* 84% (22 teachers) said that they would be interested in learning how to use the technique with children.

Redbridge Psychology Department carried out its own independent evaluation of the pilot, measuring levels of stress anxiety and depression both before and after the training. The results reveal significant reduction in stress anxiety and depression amongst teachers as a result of the training.

Based on these findings, Girasol plan to extend the pilot in Redbridge into 2009, training teachers in how to use the technique with children in the classroom.

To read the full evaluation report click here:

CreativeRelaxation PilotFinal