Authors: Bethan Jones, Dennis Golm and Henry Wood-Downie
Published: 2026
Publication: International Journal of Nurture in Education

Nurture groups are school-based, attachment-focused interventions for children and young people with social, emotional or mental health (SEMH) needs who may have experienced adversity. Autistic children often present with SEMH needs and experience adversity; therefore nurture groups may be an effective intervention for them, though research in this area is limited. Accordingly, this mixed-method study explored nurture group practitioners’ perceptions of their impact on autistic children. Twenty-seven practitioners completed a questionnaire comprising a mix of closed, Likert scale and open-ended questions. Qualitative data were analysed using abductive thematic analysis, leading to the development of three overarching themes: ‘safe space’, ‘skill development’ and ‘person-centred’. Nurture group practitioners generally perceived the impact of nurture group provision on autistic pupils to be positive, though quantitative analysis suggested that the impact was significantly less positive once children returned to their mainstream class. These findings informed several implications, such as the importance of practitioners considering how nurture principles can be implemented within the classroom.

Jones, B. M., Golm, D. and Wood-Downie, H. (2026) “They said they felt normal”: Nurture Group practitioners’ views on the impact of Nurture Group provision on autistic pupils. International Journal of Nurture in Education. 11, 9-34  https://www.nurtureuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/International-Journal-of-Nurture-in-Education-2025-26_1They-said-they-felt-normal.pdf

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