Our Therapeutic Framework
The PACE Approach
Developed by clinical psychologist Dr Dan Hughes, PACE is the therapeutic framework at the heart of everything we do at Affable. It shapes how we speak, how we respond, and how we build relationships with every young person in our care.
What is PACE?
PACE stands for Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy. It is an attachment-informed, trauma-sensitive approach originally developed to support children who have experienced developmental trauma, neglect, or adverse childhood experiences.
At Affable, we apply PACE not just in therapeutic sessions but in every interaction — from how we greet a young person in the morning to how we respond when things go wrong. It is not a programme or a policy. It is a way of being.
Playfulness
Playfulness is not about being silly — it is about bringing lightness, curiosity, and joy into everyday interactions. At Affable, we use humour, creativity, and a sense of wonder to help young people feel at ease, lower their defences, and open up to learning. When a young person feels safe enough to play, they feel safe enough to grow.
In practice at Affable
- Creative and arts-based activities woven into every session
- Humour used warmly and without sarcasm or put-downs
- Celebrating small wins with genuine enthusiasm
- Using storytelling, games, and imagination as learning tools
Acceptance
Acceptance means valuing the whole young person — not just their behaviour or their attainment, but who they are. We accept their feelings, their history, and their pace. This is unconditional positive regard in action: a young person does not have to earn their place with us. They belong here, exactly as they are.
In practice at Affable
- Separating the behaviour from the person at all times
- Never withdrawing warmth as a consequence
- Acknowledging and validating difficult emotions without judgement
- Welcoming each young person every day, regardless of yesterday
Curiosity
Curiosity means wondering about the young person — what lies beneath their behaviour, what they are communicating, what their inner world looks like. Rather than reacting to behaviour, we ask: what is this young person trying to tell us? This non-judgemental curiosity helps young people feel understood rather than managed.
In practice at Affable
- Asking "I wonder..." questions rather than making assumptions
- Exploring the story behind behaviour with genuine interest
- Helping young people develop their own self-awareness
- Reflective practice built into every staff interaction
Empathy
Empathy means truly feeling with the young person — stepping into their experience and communicating that we understand. It is not sympathy or pity; it is a genuine connection that says "I see you, I hear you, and what you feel makes sense." For young people who have rarely felt understood, this can be transformative.
In practice at Affable
- Reflecting feelings back accurately and without minimising
- Co-regulation — staying calm and present during distress
- Acknowledging how hard things are before moving to solutions
- Building genuine, trusting relationships over time
"PACE is not something we do to young people. It is something we bring to every relationship, every day — a commitment to seeing the person behind the behaviour."
Why PACE works
Many of the young people we support have experienced early trauma, disrupted attachments, or repeated experiences of feeling unsafe in educational settings. Their nervous systems are primed for threat — and traditional behaviour management approaches, which rely on reward and consequence, often escalate rather than resolve.
PACE works because it addresses the root cause. When a young person feels genuinely accepted, understood, and safe, their nervous system can regulate. And when they are regulated, they can learn.
Research consistently shows that secure, attuned relationships are the single most powerful factor in supporting young people with SEMH needs to make progress — academically, emotionally, and socially. PACE is how we build those relationships.
See PACE in action
If you are considering a referral and would like to understand more about how we work, we welcome visits and conversations.