The SHANARRI Nurtured indicator sits at the emotional centre of child wellbeing. It focuses on whether a child or young person feels cared for, supported and able to develop in a stable, compassionate environment.
For professionals working in residential care, education and social work, Nurtured is not a single action. It is built through relationships, consistency and everyday interactions that shape how a young person experiences care.
What Nurtured Means in Practice
Within SHANARRI, Nurtured refers to more than meeting basic needs. It includes:
- Feeling safe and supported by trusted adults
- Experiencing stability and consistency
- Receiving emotional warmth and encouragement
- Developing a positive sense of identity
For many young people, particularly those with care experience, these elements are critical to building resilience and trust.
The Role of Attachment and Relationships
Attachment plays a key role in how children develop emotionally. Strong, stable relationships help young people feel secure and supported, while disrupted or inconsistent care can impact wellbeing.
Professionals often work with young people who have experienced trauma or instability. This makes it even more important to provide consistent, nurturing support.
In practice, this may involve:
- Building trust through regular interaction
- Providing reassurance and emotional support
- Creating predictable routines
- Responding sensitively to behaviour and needs
Nurtured in Different Settings
The meaning of Nurtured can vary depending on the environment.
In family settings, nurturing is often provided by parents or carers. In residential care, this responsibility is shared across teams, requiring coordination and consistency.
In schools, nurturing may involve creating a supportive learning environment, recognising emotional needs and ensuring that every child feels valued.
Across all settings, the goal remains the same. Every young person should feel cared for and supported in a way that allows them to develop.
Capturing the Story of Care
One of the challenges with the Nurtured indicator is that much of it is based on everyday interactions. These moments can be difficult to capture consistently, particularly when recorded across multiple systems.
Geco Connect helps professionals record these interactions as part of a young person’s ongoing story. By organising observations within the SHANARRI framework, it becomes easier to understand what support is being provided and how it is impacting wellbeing.
This creates a clearer narrative of care, supporting both practice and accountability.
Supporting Emotional Wellbeing
Nurtured is closely linked to emotional wellbeing and long-term outcomes. When young people feel supported and valued, they are more likely to engage positively with education, relationships and future opportunities.
Supporting this requires:
- Consistent, compassionate care
- Strong communication between professionals
- Clear understanding of each young person’s needs
- Ongoing reflection on what is working
When these elements are in place, organisations are better able to provide meaningful, effective support.
See SHANARRI in Practice
If you would like to see how organisations are capturing and understanding nurturing support through the SHANARRI wellbeing indicators, Geco Connect can help.
Book a demo to see how it works in practice.