The pioneering Roots of Empathy project being run in Island primary schools features on this evening’s edition of ITV1’s flagship current affairs programme Tonight (7.30pm). Roots of Empathy, a joint initiative between the Children’s Centre and the Departments of Education and Children, Health, Social Care and Home Affairs, sees parents take newborn babies into classrooms to help teach six and seven-year-olds about feelings and behaviour. Roots of Empathy, created in Canada, has been running in the Island for three years and now involves 30 schools. The Tonight programme – one of a series of three on Britain’s children and the pressures of childhood, running from tonight to Thursday – features new parents Sarah and Dean Hitchen and their 19-week-old daughter Aurelia taking part in one of their regular lessons at Auldyn Infants’ School, where Sarah teaches, in the presence of Emma Kinrade, a nursery nurse and RoE trainer. Filming took place in December, something the children enjoyed. ‘The staff and pupils at Auldyn School were delighted to be asked to participate in filming for the Tonight programme for ITV,’ said Headteacher Chrissy Callaghan. ‘The RoE programme has been very successful within our school. We ran the programme last year as a trial and were so pleased with it that we extended it into all three of our Year Two classes this year. ‘As well as Emma Kinrade, we now have two parents, Tania Cowan and Vickie Heavey, who have also become RoE trainers. We also appreciate the time given by the parents and babies involved in the programme as without them the programme couldn’t run. ‘RoE supports our strong Personal, Social and Emotional programme within school. It encourages children to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings and to develop an empathy for others. Our hope is that they will take these skills with them through their school lives and into adulthood. The programme is unique in that it allows the teacher to observe the children’s reactions during the session.’ Mrs Callaghan continued: ‘The film crew were with us for the day and as well as filming the RoE session, they also filmed the children playing together and sharing and helping each other in the playground. The children were fantastic during the filming and were a credit to the school. ‘We aim to continue to run RoE with our Year Two classes next year as it has been such an overwhelming success.’ Mum Sarah said: ‘I was pleased to be asked to join the RoE programme. My friend’s children were part of it in previous years and found the experience valuable. Roots did not end after the year, but the class continued to take an interest in the baby for a lot longer, keen to play with them at the park, swimming pool etc, and I could see them applying what they had learnt in the classroom by how they played with and spoke to the child. It made me feel like we were part of a very close community. I hope that this is the case for Aurelia. ‘The children of Mrs Kerr’s class have been incredibly welcoming and Aurelia has enjoyed the calm and caring atmosphere the class provided. There is a magical feeling of awe and wonder when we visit and we feel part of something very special. ‘We were happy for her to be filmed as we find RoE so valuable that if this feature on TV means that even more schools bring it into their classrooms, it’s been more than worth it.’ Emma, who works for the Department of Health, said: ‘This is my third year involved in RoE. I wanted to be part of it because I was so impressed with the concept of the programme, especially bringing a baby into the classroom for a whole school year, and it has been absolutely fabulous watching the children watching the baby change over the year. ‘At end of each year the children make wishes for their baby’s future. Without being prompted, they wish the baby has lots of friends at school, is never bullied and has a happy life. These wishes are written down on a card and given to the baby. It is the best bit about the whole year and shows the children have learnt empathy.’ Ends