Empowering Carers Through Movement: The Transformative Impact of Stormbreak’s Together Approach
Supporting the mental health of children in care is a complex and deeply personal journey—one that demands empathy, resilience, and practical tools. Stormbreak Together is rising to meet this challenge through a place-based approach, offering foster carers, kinship carers, and special guardians tailored support within their own communities. By embedding therapeutic movement and emotional literacy into local settings, the programme strengthens relationships not just within families, but across networks of care.
Why this matters: what the evidence tells us
Decades of research show that placement stability is one of the strongest predictors of emotional wellbeing for children in care. Systematic reviews consistently find that placement instability is associated with significantly higher levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties, with one UK meta-analysis showing that instability more than doubles the odds of poor mental-health outcomes.
Crucially, carer–child relationship quality, carer emotional literacy, sensitivity, and confidence are among the most important modifiable factors that support placement stability. When carers feel equipped, supported, and emotionally attuned, breakdowns are less likely, and children experience calmer, more predictable homes.
The Together approach directly targets these protective factors through movement, shared activities, and accessible therapeutic language —giving carers concrete, emotionally literate strategies that reduce escalation, strengthen attachment, and build resilience.
What Is the Together Approach?
Developed by stormbreak, a UK charity dedicated to children's mental health, Together is a therapeutic evidence-based approach designed specifically for carers. It equips them with knowledge, language, and practical strategies to support children's emotional wellbeing through mentally healthy movement.
Delivered through a blend of in-person workshops and virtual sessions, it explores five core mental health concepts: Resilience, Relationships, Self-worth, Self-care, and Hope & Optimism. Carers also engage with the digital Together Pathway, applying these concepts at home in real time.
Real Change, Real Impact
The results speak volumes. Across 15 different counties, the programme has reached 404 beneficiaries, including children, carers and professionals with overwhelmingly positive feedback.
And importantly, the kinds of changes carers report—improved emotional literacy, better regulation, growing confidence, more positive relational moments—are the same mechanisms identified in research as key drivers of placement stability. Systematic reviews show that when carers display greater sensitivity, understanding, and emotional regulation, children experience fewer placement moves and more secure relationships.
Although direct national data on carer retention is limited, qualitative studies show that carers are more likely to continue fostering when they feel supported, skilled, and connected to their child. The Together approach focuses on practical tools, empathy-filled language, and relational connection aligns strongly with these protective factors.
“Where qualitative evidence is available, carers frequently cite lack of support, emotional strain, and insufficient training as key reasons for leaving fostering.”
Stories That Inspire
Carers shared powerful stories of transformation. One foster carer described how stormbreak helped her reframe her response to a child’s soiling—a behaviour rooted in trauma. By using stormbreak’s “It’s okay…” statements and engaging in shared clean-up routines, she fostered empathy and connection. That same child later told her he loved her for the first time.
One carer had been using the stormbreak activity ‘monkey chatter’ with her child. They enjoyed allocating different coloured pieces of paper to different emotions, placing them in the corners of the room then travelling in between each corner like monkeys, complete with swinging arms, bouncy movements and monkey noises! When they arrived at a coloured spot, they would stop, think of a time when they felt that emotion, close their eyes and take slow, deep breaths. After a few moments they would ‘monkey’ their way to the next colour and repeat. At the time, the activity was fun, playful and full of laughter. Together they learnt to intentionally focus on the breath when feeling an emotion, triggering the para-sympathetic nervous system to calm the breathing and heart rate.
One carer said the stormbreak activity Cross Country Challenge was a “perfect distraction” when a child was becoming dysregulated. She described how the activity left him calmer, settled and more focused—exactly the kinds of emotional-regulation improvements that research links to reduced risk of placement disruption.
Building Emotional Literacy and Resilience
Carers consistently reported improvements in children’s emotional vocabulary and ability to regulate feelings. Activities like Roll With It and Cross Country Challenge were described as fun, engaging, and effective in diffusing tension and promoting calm.
Research backs this: emotional literacy and resilience in both carers and children are identified as protective factors for placement stability, with studies showing fewer disruptions when carers can interpret behaviour through a trauma-informed lens and respond with empathy rather than consequences.
“Placement instability has clear and lasting associations with behavioural difficulties, poorer mental-health outcomes, and reduced relationship security.”
A Holistic Approach That Works
Stormbreak doesn’t just support children, it uplifts carers too. Many participants reflected on their own self-care needs, finding renewed optimism and confidence through the programme. The hands-on nature of the sessions, combined with peer support and shared learning, created a safe space for carers to grow alongside their children.
One carer summed it up perfectly: “I wish I’d had this training sooner… it could have prevented a placement breakdown.”
This directly reflects evidence from the literature: structured carer training and emotional-support programmes show “promising improvements” in placement stability and carer confidence, especially when they include relational skills, emotional literacy, and trauma-informed strategies, core components of the Together approach.
Looking Ahead
The Together Programme is more than an approach—it’s a movement rooted in place. By working directly with carers in their communities, stormbreak ensures that support is relevant, accessible, and sustainable. This place-based approach helps families build stronger relationships, navigate emotional challenges, and foster resilience in ways that are joyful, practical, and deeply human.
For organisations looking to support carers and children in meaningful, lasting ways, stormbreak’s Together Approach offers a proven, research-aligned and compassionate path forward, grounded in local connection, emotional wellbeing and national impact.
References:
1. Maguire, D. (2024).
A systematic review of the impact of placement instability on emotional and behavioural outcomes among children in foster care. Available via PubMed/PMC.
2. Varnish, C., Phillips, A., et al. (2024).
The relationship between placement instability and mental health outcomes among children in care: A UK systematic review and meta-analysis. Working paper, SSRN / Bath Research Portal.
3. Rock, S., Michelson, D., Thomson, S., & Day, C. (2015).
Understanding foster placement instability for looked-after children: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. British Journal of Social Work. Oxford University Press.
4. Pixley, J. T. (2023–2024).
Foster parent factors associated with placement stability. Taylor & Francis Online (journal and publication details not specified in original file).
5. Evans, R., et al. (2023).
Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of children in care: A systematic review. Systematic Reviews (BioMed Central).
By Emma Dowinton, Together programme manager
To discuss more about our Together programme, please contact emma@stormbreak.org.uk or hello@stormbreak.org.uk