The BOUNCE Approach®
for Residential Care
Building Trust
Understanding the children who have learned that adults cannot be trusted
You are not a therapist.
You are something the children in your care need even more than that.
You are the consistent, present, regulated adult who is there at 7am and at 11pm. Who is there when the placement breaks down and when the review goes badly and when the school calls and when the night terrors start. Who is there, day after day, in the ordinary moments that are anything but ordinary for a child who has never experienced ordinary as safe.
The BOUNCE Approach® helps you understand what that means – and how to do it in a way that genuinely changes things.
Our Approach
Not sure? Find your BOUNCE starting point first.
Every child is different. The six BOUNCE pillars help you look beyond behaviour and explore the areas that may be influencing a child’s wellbeing, regulation, relationships, learning, and development.
Select any pillar below to discover what else you can add to your toolkit.
🧠 Body & Nervous System Grounding, regulation & somatic awareness. Show more →
- Grounding Techniques
- Exploring Mindful Awareness Interventions
- Reducing Anxiety through Gut Health
- Somatic Exercises
- Running SEMH Sensory Circuits
- Interoception in the Classroom
🤝 Openness to Connection Trust, attachment & co-regulation. Show more →
👂 Understanding Sensory Sensory processing & awareness. Show more →
💭 Navigating Emotions Emotional expression & regulation. Show more →
- Drawing Feelings Intervention
- Drumming for Regulation
- Emotional Regulation and Bounce
- Executive Functions and Poor Behaviours
- Managing Demand Avoidance
- Creative and Expressive Arts
- Lego Feelings Intervention
- Different Behaviour Between Home and School
- Running a Play-doh Feeling Session
- Exploring NVR in the Home
- Emotionally-Based School Avoidance
- Reducing Anxiety in Children
- Negative Behaviour and Emotional Intelligence
💬 Connection & Communication Communication skills & connection. Show more →
⭐ Esteem & Identity Self-esteem, identity & belonging. Show more →
- A Parts Approach
- Supporting ADHD — The BOUNCE Way
- Being Neurodivergent Affirming
- Supporting Autistic Students in the Classroom
- Supporting Neurodivergent Children at Christmas
- Running a Tree of Life Intervention
- Expanding the Window of Tolerance
- Understanding and Supporting a Child with Tourette Syndrome
- Supporting Students with Executive Function Difficulties
Imagine having all of this in one place.
More than 50 CPD-certified courses, interventions, assessments, activities, templates, tools and downloads – organised through the six BOUNCE pillars and available whenever you need them.
Less searching. More confidence. Better support for the children who need it most.
Your BOUNCE Journey
The greatest difference in a residential home isn’t another programme — it’s every member of staff responding with confidence, consistency, and understanding. The Learning Portal equips your whole team with 2-minute Snapshot assessments, practical training, creative interventions, and live support, helping you build a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming culture where children and young people experience the same therapeutic approach every day.
1
Understand
“How do we understand what this young person needs?”
Show more →
- Staff complete a 2-minute Snapshot assessment before support begins
- The Snapshot identifies the young person’s strengths, developmental priorities, and support needs across the six BOUNCE pillars
- Results link directly to the most relevant training, creative approaches, editable support plans, and practical resources
- Every member of staff follows the same trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming framework, creating consistency across every shift
- Managers gain a clear baseline to monitor progress over time
A 2-minute assessment that helps every member of staff understand what the young person needs next.
2
Confidence
“How do staff know what to do next?”
Show more →
- Every member of staff has their own Learning Portal account
- Staff learn how to understand developmental stage rather than chronological age
- Access practical training, editable support plans, PDF resources, and ready-to-use strategies
- Choose from creative approaches including LEGO®, sensory circuits, art, movement, music, Play-Doh, drumming, emotional literacy, and relationship-based activities
- Staff also have access to live drop-in sessions, so if something isn’t working, a member of the BOUNCE team is there to help
A confident workforce with practical tools, creative ideas, and ongoing support.
3
Connect
“How do we build trust through everyday interactions?”
Show more →
- This isn’t about worksheets — it’s about creating meaningful experiences that build safety, trust, and connection
- Staff learn how to adapt creative approaches to each young person’s developmental stage and individual needs
- Activities become opportunities to strengthen relationships, emotional regulation, communication, confidence, and identity
- Every interaction — from breakfast to bedtime — becomes part of a consistent therapeutic approach
Creative, flexible approaches that help every member of staff build stronger relationships and better outcomes.
4
Grow
“How do we know we’re making a difference?”
Show more →
- Staff repeat the 2-minute Snapshot at agreed review points
- Progress is measured against the original baseline
- If something isn’t working, staff can access additional training, resources, or live drop-in support to adapt their approach
- Staff record progress within your home’s existing recording and care planning systems
Reliable progress information and ongoing support, helping your team continually improve outcomes.
5
Build a Therapeutic Culture
“How do we create lasting change across the whole home?”
Show more →
- Staff record Snapshot outcomes and progress within your existing recording systems
- Managers review progress at key review points to understand what is making the greatest difference
- Demonstrate improvements in emotional regulation, relationships, engagement, participation, independence, and wellbeing
- Build a consistent therapeutic culture where every member of staff responds with the same understanding, language, and approach
A confident, consistent team delivering relationship-based care that improves outcomes for children and young people every day.
It’s not about age — it’s about developmental stage. Every member of staff will have the knowledge, practical tools, and confidence to adapt their approach to the unique strengths, needs, and experiences of the young person in front of them.