Holding the Space (HTS) is a therapeutic approach to care practice developed for a residential unit run by Action for Children (AfC) in Sunderland, and now being adopted more widely across other AfC residential services. 

It equips staff with skills and techniques for engaging with children in a group context, especially around conflict. It enables the young people to find an emotional language and a sense of identity and belonging. At the same time the training aims to transform residential homes into open and caring communities.

Action for Children staff noticed similarities between what is explored during the Holding The Space training and the principles behind social pedagogy.

Specifically, the review had three purposes:

• establish the key principles of social pedagogy
• establish the key principles and history of HTS
• establish any possible congruence and differences between social pedagogy and HTS.

Social pedagogy and its links to Holding the Space | PDF