How to Make Effective Use of Calm Rooms and Spaces

Calm room, quiet space, reflection area, emotional wellbeing zone – whatever you choose to call them in your setting, the purpose of these environments is the same:  to provide access to a designated quiet, calm space where individuals can recover and feel safe when they are distressed, overwhelmed or dysregulated.

Recently, concerns have been raised across a range of sectors about the use and design of calm rooms and spaces; there have even been calls to ban them. However, this has more to do with how they are being used, rather than the concept itself. With that in mind, it is vital that we are clear about what a calm space is not: it should not be used in a punitive way or considered some type of ‘naughty corner’; nor should it be a place to seclude or hold individuals against their will. When misused or misinterpreted like this, it is easy to see how calm spaces can trigger negative connotations and facilitate poor practice.

As practitioners and professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure that calm spaces and rooms are designed and used with the needs of the individual in mind at all times.

What is the purpose of a calm room?

Whether you work in a school, health or social care setting, you will undoubtedly encounter individuals who, at times, can become dysregulated or distressed and who need somewhere peaceful to reset and recalibrate. Calm rooms and spaces provide the opportunity for individual to remove themselves from their immediate environment, giving them the emotional and physical space to recover.

Whilst not all settings have a separate room (it may be a corner of another room, such as a classroom), the idea is that there is a safe, supportive place available, where an individual can go to either self or co-regulate, depending on their needs. As professionals, we can often spot the early signs of distress and can interrupt the conflict spiral by offering the opportunity to move to a calm space; at other times, it may be we have to react quickly when we can see that someone is already in a heightened state and in need of a safe alternative until they are ready to re-engage.

Whether the use of the calm room is planned or unplanned, the priority is keeping the individual safe and offering the support they need in that moment.

Considerations for the design of a calm room

Every setting is different and if space is at a premium, it might be the case that there is no capacity for a dedicated calm room. And even in situations where a quiet room is set up in part of a building, there is no guarantee that it will be free when you need to support an individual. Often, these are dual function spaces and are in high demand. Whilst a designated room is ideal, you can only work within the limits of your building and the needs of other staff members and individuals you support.