VERVE Resources

The VERVE Resource brings together ideas, guides, and reflections that help families and professionals apply the VERVE philosophy in everyday life.

Whether you’re a parent supporting your child at home, or a professional deepening reflective practice, these resources are designed to help you see, listen, and connect.

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foundations

The Principles of VERVE

The VERVE principles explore how interaction shapes learning and development — from the smallest shared glance to the rhythm of play and silence.

Each principle offers a way to observe, understand, and respond to children in the moment, whether you’re a parent, therapist, or educator.

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Resources
VERVE - Why Video?
VERVE - Why Video?

Working through the skills of parents supported by video has transformed what we now know about the development of well-being, behaviour, language, speech, communication and learning.

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Safe space, safe face, playing for words
Safe space, safe face, playing for words

Learning through play, exploration, and shared experiences.

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The value of silence and managing the hubbub.
The value of silence and managing the hubbub.

Quiet moments create space for children to process and respond.

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Body Watching, Mirroring mischief, and boundaries.
Body Watching, Mirroring mischief, and boundaries.

Movement and energy reveal what’s going on inside.

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Face Watching for Feedback, repair and more information.
Face Watching for Feedback, repair and more information.

Connection begins when we notice and respond to a child’s gaze.

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Words and Sentences, Fluency, gestures and Signs
Words and Sentences, Fluency, gestures and Signs

Communication grows through every sound, sign, and shared signal.

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for families

What to do and when to support your child’s language and learning.

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Resources
Top tips on which of your natural skills to use and when
families
Top tips on which of your natural skills to use and when
families

Simple, play-based tips to support your child’s language development by following their lead, modelling words, and embracing quiet moments.

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families
The Power of Play and Everyday experiences
families
The Power of Play and Everyday experiences
families

Watching play helps the adult to know what words and sentences the child is ready for.

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families
Regulation and co-regulation - holding steady
families
Regulation and co-regulation - holding steady
families

An exploration of co-regulation and physiological safety, showing how calm adult presence helps children regulate, connect and learn in a busy world.

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families
Why proximity and stopping talking when they look away.
families
Why proximity and stopping talking when they look away.
families

Silence, face watching and attentive proximity create the safety children need to regulate, organise their thoughts and initiate communication in their own time.

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families
Why are we only repeating/using one word ?
families
Why are we only repeating/using one word ?
families

We use one-word responses during face-to-face interaction not to teach vocabulary alone, but to support the foundational skills that language development is built on.

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families
Building up over time. Tuning into and managing other peoples ideas/voices
families
Building up over time. Tuning into and managing other peoples ideas/voices
families

VERVE is about timing, having fun and developing and shifting habits.

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families 
for professionals

Resources to support reflective practice, training, and professional growth.

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Resources
VERVEing in Schools: The 'Reflective Practitioner'
professionals
VERVEing in Schools: The 'Reflective Practitioner'
professionals

VERVE child interaction is a unique approach that focuses on using every interaction opportunity to develop each child's learning self identity, communication and mental health.

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professionals
Neuroaffirmation
professionals
Neuroaffirmation
professionals

Rooted in the neurodiversity paradigm, VERVE is a neuroaffirmative approach that tunes into each child’s individuality, valuing their unique ways of regulating, communicating and engaging with the world.

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professionals
Questioning in the Classroom
professionals
Questioning in the Classroom
professionals

Rethinking questioning in the classroom shifts the focus from testing knowledge to supporting children’s thinking, communication, and engagement through more responsive, interaction-based approaches.

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professionals

All VERVE Resources