Amy (name changed) was just a little girl, the youngest in a family that was struggling. Her mother was battling mental health issues and financial pressures. Every week, Amy would show up to school with new bruises, but this wasn’t because someone was doing things to Amy. It’s because they weren’t. Amy would bump into things, fall over, and get hurt like all children do, but there was no one to bandage her up. And so, Amy stopped speaking at school. She’d sit silently, even in a room with just a few other children, and say nothing. Even when other children snatched toys out of her hands, Amy wouldn’t react—she was so used to things not going her way.
But at school something else was happening. Our Oasis Nurture team at Oasis Academy South Bank Primary recognised Amy’s need for help. They spent a year with her, offering her care, attention, and a chance to express herself. Through art, play, and modelling compassion, the Oasis Nurture team helped Amy find her voice. Today, she’s a totally different person. “She’s one of the first children to run up, say hi, and give you a big hug,” says Faith Adamah, an Oasis Nurture Therapeutic Coordinator. Amy’s transformation shows us what Oasis Nurture is all about—helping children heal through loving relationships.
What is Oasis Nurture?
Nurture was first imagined by the late Camila Batmanghelidjh, who believed that children thrive when they have strong, healthy relationships. Oasis Nurture was designed to help children connect with others and manage their emotions. When families struggle with social and financial difficulties it can be hard for children to process their experiences. The programme has been running for three years, and the results are clear — children are doing better, not just in their Key Stage 2 results, but in their mental and emotional wellbeing.
At its core, Oasis Nurture is about helping children form strong and healthy attachments. Whether through one-on-one sessions or group activities, the focus is on giving children a safe space to express themselves. The team is made up of over 23 practitioners, including students who are completing psychology or social work qualifications. As Faith explains, “Practitioners are co-regulators, helping children handle things that are too big for them to cope with alone. We use drama, clay, games—whatever it takes.”
Children like Amy struggle to regulate their emotions for many reasons. Megan Ng, one of our Oasis Nurture Mentor Practitioners, points out “some children face extreme challenges like social deprivation or trauma from fleeing war, while others struggle with everyday stresses like having a new sibling join the family. We are here to support everyone.”
The central role of relationships
At the heart of Oasis Nurture is relationships. This is because from the moment we’re born, we’re wired to form emotional bonds with others—it’s how we feel safe in the world. “We need healthy relationships that make us feel secure enough to handle life’s big, difficult things,” says Maryam Mahdavi, the Program Director, “without healthy relationships, we struggle.”
But it’s not just about the science of attachment. Relationships are “what living is” says Megan. They “shape how we see the world—whether it’s a beautiful place or a bad one” says Faith. For children, especially those who feel isolated or lack confidence, relationships are the key to opening up, to seeing themselves in a better light. “It’s only through experiencing another person accepting you as you are that you start to believe maybe you’re not so bad after all,” says Faith.
Ingredients for success
We believe Oasis Nurture works because it’s holistic and collective in its approach. The programme reaches out not just to the child, but their whole family. “Working together with the Oasis community team, we are currently helping the mother of one of our children with her benefits application. She has medical issues and was struggling by herself. Consequently, this was passing stress onto her child. We hope that through helping her we can also help her child” says Faith. Mental and emotional well-being doesn’t happen in isolation. We need it in all aspects of our lives.
Our Oasis Nurture team is also integrated into the school day. This means they’re always building relationships with our children — whether it’s over lunch, in the playground, or during after-school activities. This constant presence helps the team understand what each child needs.
To learn more about Oasis Nurture, check out this Guardian article.