DR JONATHAN REID, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY, UK
Setting the scene
Although concern about children’s mental health has increased in recent years, experiences of difficulty and distress are not confined to those with a recognised diagnosis – NHS Digital (2023) reported that around one in five children and young people aged eight to 25 years had a probable mental disorder.
Compassion Focused Education (Reid, 2022) is an educational philosophy that encourages educators to adopt a non-pathologising, transdiagnostic perspective, recognising that experiences of difficulty and distress are part of the human experience. Although the SEND Code of Practice (DfE and DoH, 2015) controversially (Reid, 2026a) identifies ‘social, emotional and mental health difficulties’ (SEMH) (p. 98) as one of the four broad areas of special educational need and disability, experiences of difficulty and distress are not exclusive to those identified within this category. At its heart, Compassion Focused Education seeks to prevent, reduce or alleviate difficulty and distress through relationships, emotionally safe learning environments and purposeful educational practice.
What do teachers need to know?
While the causes, intensity and duration of experiences vary considerably, we all encounter periods in our lives when we feel worried, overwhelmed, uncertain or unsafe. The Royal College of Psychiatrists (nd) describes distress as a normal human response to challenging circumstances, recognising that it can influence how we think, feel and behave. Children’s responses to difficulty and distress are influenced by their developmental stage, relationships, previous experiences and the wider social and cultural contexts in which they live (UNICEF, nd). Importantly, neurodivergent children and young people may experience emotional distress in educational settings more frequently than their neurotypical peers (Fielding et al., 2025).
It is recognised that, from an evolutionary perspective, humans have developed sophisticated nervous systems that continually monitor both our environments and our physiology. According to Porges’ polyvagal theory (2015), neuroception describes the unconscious evaluation of cues of safety and risk, while interoception enables us to perceive physiological changes associated with experiences of difficulty or distress. Together, these processes influence our capacity to regulate emotions, engage socially, participate and learn.
Teachers have a unique opportunity to create learning environments characterised by emotional safety, compassionate relationships and reduced uncertainty, recognising that emotional regulation develops through experiences of safety, compassionate relationships and human(e) responses. This is particularly important given that teachers are among the adults most frequently identified by children and young people as a source of support for their mental health (Fazel and Patel, 2026).
The Compassion Informed Practice Framework (Reid, 2026b) translates the educational philosophy of Compassion Focused Education into everyday practice through six interconnected principles that support teachers in preventing, reducing or alleviating difficulty and distress.
Action points for teachers
1. Educate with compassionate conviction
Compassionate conviction shapes how educational professionals think, act and make decisions. It recognises that every interaction, relationship and educational experience has the potential to influence students’ wellbeing, participation and learning. Teachers therefore have both an opportunity and a responsibility to intentionally create emotionally safe learning environments characterised by compassionate relationships, predictable routines and authentic care. Compassionate conviction also requires the courage to question practices, policies or assumptions that may inadvertently contribute to difficulty or distress.
2. Respond with compassionate curiosity and caring
Rather than making assumptions about behaviour, remain curious about what students may be experiencing. Compassionate curiosity seeks understanding without judgement, while compassionate caring is demonstrated through empathetic listening, authentic relationships and consistent human(e) responses. Together, they create opportunities for co-regulation.
3. Build compassionate communities through compassionate collaboration
Supporting children and young people is a shared responsibility. Compassionate communities foster trust, belonging and participation, recognising that everyone has a role in creating inclusive, equitable educational environments where children and young people experience safety, belonging, participation and opportunities to flourish. Compassionate collaboration with colleagues, families, and children and young people helps to develop shared understanding and coordinated responses.
4. Be compassionately creative
There is no single strategy that meets the needs of every child or every situation. Compassionate creativity encourages teachers to remain reflective, flexible and responsive, adapting their practice to individual strengths, needs and circumstances while remaining guided by compassionate conviction.
Top tips
- Recognise that experiences of difficulty and distress are universal and cannot be fully understood through educational, clinical or social labels.
- Create emotionally safe learning environments where compassionate relationships, predictable routines and human(e) responses support co-regulation, participation, belonging and learning.
- Educate with compassionate conviction by intentionally seeking to prevent, reduce or alleviate difficulty and distress, even when this requires challenging accepted assumptions, practices or systems.
Want to know more?
To learn more about the importance of supporting adults who support children who experience distress, please read:
Reid J (2026) Supervision for educational practitioners in SEN. In: Middleton T (ed) The SEN Practitioner: Status, Skills and Support. Abingdon: Routledge.
Reid J (2023) Why we need to talk about the emotional work of teachers. NASEN Connect May/June: 21–24. Available at: https://nasen.org.uk/resources/nasen-connect-magazine-mayjune-2023 (accessed 6 August 2026).
Reid J (2023) Compassionate support for teachers’ emotional work. NASEN Connect July/August: 23–26. Available at: https://nasen.org.uk/resources/nasen-connect-magazine-julyaugust-2023 (accessed 6 August 2026).
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