Zippy’s Friends Teaching children resilience and coping skills for life

Caroline Egar, Partnership for ChildrenMarion Panis, Stichting Kids en Emotionele Competenties

What is Zippy’s Friends?

•school-based programme for 6 – 7 year-olds

•Taught by the class teacher, specially trained

• Teaches children better social skills, and how to cope

with difficulties

What is coping?

What is coping?

cry become violent

go to bed

go shopping

watch television

shout at someone

kick the dog

get drunk

pretend nothing’s wrong

eat chocolate

tell a friend

exercise

say nothing

get angryask for help

What is coping?

• What we do to make a bad situation better

or to make us feel better about the situation

Coping is...

What is coping?

Coping strategies should...

• Improve the situation or make us feel better - or both

• Not harm us or anyone else

Coping strategies should...

Coping strategies should...6 modules, 24 sessions:• Feelings

• Communication

• Friendship

• Conflict resolution

• Change and loss

• Making a new start

Coping strategies should...

Coping strategies should...

Coping strategies should...

Results:•Increased coping skills

•Increased emotional literacy

•Increased academic achievement

•Improved class climate and relationships

•Reduced bullying and hyperactivity

Whole school approach

Activity:

‘I know what to do when I have difficult feelings’

•Sad

•Angry/annoyed

•Jealous

•Nervous

Zippy’s Friends Netherlands

• Stichting KEC – licence holder Netherlands

• Pilot 2009: 12 schools, 27 classes, 600 children

• Process evaluation

Results process evaluation:

• clear instructions and materials

• teachers and children positive

• mixed classes 4 and 5 years (17 out of 27) > a

challenge

Coping strategies should...

Zippy Netherlands 2014:

• 52 schools

• 2000 children

• demand for whole school approach

Trimbos-institute RCT

• started in 2012

• 30 schools, 60 classes, 1200 children

• children from low SES families only

• results expected: May 2015

Preventing bullying NL

• preparation of anti-bullying legislation

• list of 13 anti-bullying programmes

• choice obligatory for schools

• Zippy’s Friends on the list