At Calon Thrive, we believe every child deserves to be seen, heard, and supported by emotionally present adults who meet them with kindness, clarity, and hope. Our Emotional First Aid training is inclusive, trauma-informed, and shaped by real-life experience,

professional, personal, and deeply human.

We use emotionally resonant, child-centred imagery, like rainbows, stars, and playful visual elements, to honour the emotional worlds of children. These symbols aren’t decorative; they’re intentional. They help foster emotional safety, connection, and curiosity for adults and children alike, making deep learning accessible, memorable, and meaningful.

Meet Ellie — Founder & Emotional Wellbeing Specialist
 

I hold a Master’s degree (MA) in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, a Level 5 BTEC Diploma in Teaching, and a BA in Health and Social Care. I’m also a qualified Emotional First Aid and Mental Health First Aid trainer, passionate about empowering adults to 

respond with clarity, care, and confidence.

Over 28 years in the Royal Air Force, as a welfare officer and trainer, shaped my understanding of resilience, trauma, and the vital role of compassionate leadership. For the past 11 years, I’ve also been a foster parent, supporting children with additional needs, cross-

cultural identities, and lived trauma.

I grew up in a home marked by domestic violence and was supported through the social care system. I know what it means to feel 

unseen, and unheard, and I have shaped Calon Thrive so that no carer, educator, or professional feels they have to journey alone.

Meet Pete — Co-founder & Care Advocate
 

My life has been rooted in service, resilience, and deep human connection. Across 32 years in the RAF, I served in various roles 

including Resistance to Interrogation Instructor during tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. It taught me where people break, and how they heal through trust, presence, and relationship.

I was adopted as a child, and I am now a foster and adoptive parent myself. These lived experiences deeply shape my role in Calon Thrive. I have trained in approaches like The Incredible Years and Lighthouse Parenting, with a focus on trauma-informed care, 

neurodiversity, and emotional attunement.

At Calon Thrive, I bring both the strategic clarity of military leadership and the tenderness of caregiving. My mission is to walk beside those supporting children, helping them rebuild with courage, connection, and compassion.

🌈 Why We Use Rainbows and Story-Rich Imagery

Our training materials include symbols like rainbows, stars, and other playful, child-centred designs because they:

🌟 Reflect the emotional landscapes children navigate

🌈 Honour the beauty in difference and healing after hardship

🧸 Support a safe learning space that’s gentle, memorable, and inclusive

Rainbows are more than just colourful arcs—they carry emotional weight that resonates deeply with children and the adults who care for them.

🌦 Represent hope after hardship, showing that beauty can follow emotional storms

🎨 Reflect the range of emotions children navigate day to day

🧸 Create a sense of safety, familiarity, and magic in learning environments

🌈 Symbolise inclusion and diversity, reminding us that every colour, every story, every child belongs

For many children, rainbows are comforting and powerful. They offer a bridge between what’s felt and what’s spoken, and they help adults reconnect with their own empathy, imagination, and emotional presence.

They help carers and professionals access their own empathy, creativity, and sense of play, powerful tools for connection and healing

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🫶 Our Mission

We exist to meet people exactly where they are—with practical tools, emotional understanding, and deep respect for the stories they carry. We’re here for those who hold space for children: carers, educators, parents, social workers, and community champions. Because children don’t just need care—they need emotionally attuned adults who show up again and again with steady hearts and listening ears.

“When we nurture the hearts of children, we strengthen the soul of a nation.”