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Breaking Barriers, Inspiring Minds
Rebel early intervention & Creative Nurture
NURTURE-BASED * CREATIVE * ACCREDITED * PERSONALISED *
Our Early Intervention Service
Our Early Intervention service supports children and young people aged 5–18 experiencing Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), neurodiverse needs or other emerging needs that may be affecting their wellbeing, relationships, safety or engagement with education.
We recognise that children and young people do not always have a formal diagnosis or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) when they first need support. Our Early Intervention service can therefore support children and young people with identified, emerging or undiagnosed needs, where appropriate.
We provide targeted support designed to identify needs early, strengthen emotional wellbeing and develop the skills children and young people need to build positive relationships, stay safe and engage more successfully with education and everyday life.
Our approach is trauma-informed, relationship-based and strengths-focused, with children and young people encouraged to have voice, choice and control over their experience.
Our provision may be appropriate for children and young people experiencing:
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Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs
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Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)
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Neurodiverse needs, including where these are identified or emerging
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Emotional regulation difficulties
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Anxiety, low confidence or difficulties with self-esteem
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Difficulties developing or maintaining relationships
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Difficulties with social communication or interaction
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Difficulties engaging with education
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Behaviour that may indicate an underlying unmet need
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Emerging or undiagnosed additional needs
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Difficulties with wellbeing, safety or emotional resilience
A formal diagnosis is not always required for early intervention. Suitability is considered based on the child's or young person's individual needs and circumstances.
WHO CAN OUR SERVICE SUPPORT?
ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNDED SUPPORT
✅ Available from September 2026:
🎯 Targeted Nurture Groups - funded
After-school sessions during term time (SN1), focused on emotional wellbeing, self-regulation, and peer connection.
🧠 1:1 Consultations
Old Town Centre Drop-in or Online advice sessions with children, young people, or parents/carers to explore support needs and agree next steps.
🚶♀️ Family Walking & Talking
Monthly wellbeing walks in Queens Park (SN1) — an informal space for connection, conversation, and shared advice.
✨ coming soon
Digital Signposting Hub
Easy access to the Swindon Local Offer, universal and targeted services, and local family-friendly events.
Family Connector Roles
Volunteer opportunities for parents/carers with lived experience of raising a child with SEND. Support local families through drop-ins, community walks, and shared experiences (in-person/ online community).
Outreach One-to-One Support for CYP
We’re seeking volunteers with strong communication skills and a passion for inclusion to help deliver child/ youth consultations.
We’ll also be offering placement opportunities to UWE Bristol social work students.
Family Resilience Camp
A supportive and therapeutic retreat experience focused on building family wellbeing, resilience, and connection.
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Volunteer With Us: Make a Difference in Your Community
Do you have 1–3 hours a week to spare? Whether you’d like to support children during our Nurture Group sessions or chat with families to offer friendly advice and signposting, we’d love to hear from you.
We actively welcome volunteers from all backgrounds — especially those with lived experience of caring for a child with SEND, those who are neurodivergent themselves, or individuals who have been in care.
We’re just finalising the role details — join our mailing list to be the first to hear when applications open!
NURTURE GROUPS
Our Nurture Groups are a targeted, evidence-based programme designed to support children and young people aged 5 - 18 with SEND needs or neurodiverse needs.
Rooted in trauma-informed practice, sessions are delivered using an adapted model from the Nurture Group Network UK.
📅 Running during term time, we offer overlapping age groups to give families flexibility based on developmental stage, confidence, and availability:
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Ages 5–7
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Ages 6–9
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Ages 8–11
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Ages 10–13
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Ages 12–15
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Ages 14–18
📍Location: SN1 – to be confirmed
NURTURE GROUP DELIVERY
Children and young people are at the heart of our service, with the flexibility, choice, and control to shape their own experience.
🗣️ Emotional Literacy & Regulation Strategies
Supporting emotional growth through:
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Developing self-awareness
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Mindfulness and relaxation techniques
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Cognitive restructuring
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Behavioural interventions
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Safe spaces and emotional check-ins
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Emotion-focused conversations
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Restorative practices
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Self-compassion tools
🎯 Health, Wellbeing & Safety Topics
Tailored sessions covering relationships, personal safety, mental health and wellbeing — adapted to meet the specific needs of each participant.
🎨 Arts for Wellbeing
Creative expression as a therapeutic tool:
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Youth-led, mixed-media arts sessions
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Group and 1:1 creative exploration
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Talking therapies integrated with arts practice
🤝 Advocacy Support
We make sure every child or young person feels seen, heard, and supported — including representing their voice in school learning plans and at Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings, helping to shape a meaningful and personalised Early Help Plan.
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🌍 Growing With Our Community
As our service develops, we are looking to partner with schools and community centres that are interested in hosting this programme on-site.
We’re also seeking additional funding to launch free creative wellbeing drop-in sessions — a light-touch, flexible way for children and young people to stay connected and supported in their mental health beyond structured interventions.
Each young person begins with an initial 3-month Nurture Group intervention, with the option to continue through our step-down support pathways, tailored to individual needs and available space.
Most often, this includes support in transitioning to universal services and helping families access the right long-term provision for their child or young person. For those with computer access, we also offer a virtual Nurture Group, focused on digital arts for wellbeing. Where digital access is limited, we may be able to extend in-person access to the Nurture Group on a case-by-case basis.
⏳ The maximum support period offered through our Early Intervention SEND pathway is 6 months.
📆 Duration & Step-Down Support
Our Evidence-Based Approach
At Rebel, our services are underpinned by relational, trauma-informed and evidence-informed approaches that support emotional regulation, engagement and readiness for learning. Our framework is shaped by leading psychological and educational theories, allowing us to deliver personalised, therapeutic support that meets the unique needs of every learner.
We draw upon the following approaches:
🧠 Nurture Theory
We build safe, trusting relationships that help learners feel secure, valued and ready to engage in learning, including through small nurture-style groups that support emotional wellbeing, confidence and positive relationships.
🎨 Holistic Creative Arts Approach
We use creative approaches such as art, music, movement, drama, storytelling and sensory activities to help learners express themselves, process experiences and build confidence in a safe and supportive way.
🌈 PACE Model
Our approach is built on Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy, helping learners feel safe, supported and understood while building trust, emotional regulation and motivation to learn.
🌿 Somatic Regulation & Movement Practice
We use movement, breathing, grounding and sensory activities, alongside physical activity, to help learners regulate emotions, feel calm and stay engaged in learning.
💬 Solution-Focused Coaching & Motivational Interviewing
We use approaches such as OARS — Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening and Summarising — to help learners build self-awareness, explore their goals and take positive, manageable steps towards change.
🔺 Needs-led Practice
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is used as one framework for considering the emotional, relational and practical foundations that may need to be addressed before learners are ready to access more demanding learning.