Leadership

Helping Parents to Build Their Children’s Resilience

The strength of a child’s relationships with their parents is the bedrock upon which resilience is built. Research emerging Solihull is proving that a little help can go a long way.

The research about how to build emotional resilience in children is very clear. In order to give children the best chance at being able to manage their emotions when life throws them challenges, we must support them with their emotions when they are little. And the context in which children learn to manage themselves is the relationship they have with key adults in their lives. In this way we teach them to develop healthy internal resources and positive relationships, rather than rely on external resources, such as drugs, alcohol, self harm, or fall into depression or anxiety.

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      string(395) "... to manage her mood and before long,the children’s behaviour improved too’.Group workA three-session, Comfort Zone,group work course has beendeveloped for parents with youngchildren. Instead of individualwork with parents in their ownhome, some parents prefer theoption of Comfort Zone deliveredin a children’s centre to parents ..."
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      string(5674) "offered her some strategies to ‘warm-up’ her mood and responses tothe children. She seemed to be empowered as finally there was something she could use to helpherself. It worked really well – she used Comfort Zone to manage her mood and before long,the children’s behaviour improved too’.Group workA three-session, Comfort Zone,group work course has beendeveloped for parents with youngchildren. Instead of individualwork with parents in their ownhome, some parents prefer theoption of Comfort Zone deliveredin a children’s centre to parents insmall groups of approximately six.The advantage for some parentsis that they are better able toconcentrate when their children arein the centre’s crèche. Some of thefeedback from parents who haveattended the groups has been asfollows:‘I know I go into the red, I need tobe able to calm myself down or dosomething before I get to red.’ (afterthe first of three sessions).‘This has made me think more.Listening to other people’s experiences has made it more meaningful.’ (after second session).‘This has made me more aware of my moods and I now have things I can try when either I amgetting angry or feeling low.’ (after third session).‘It has helped me recognise my feelings and given me techniques I can use.’ (after third session).Vol 4.1 n www.teachingtimes.comFamiliesEvery Child Journal24The Comfort Zone intervention has also been delivered extensively to foster carers.Although it could be argued that foster carers are selected, trained and supported toremain in the yellow zone, what they find is that some of the children placed with themare very challenging. Foster carers report having feelings toward children in their careright across the Comfort Zone spectrum. What they are able to do is use the Comfort Zonestrategies to modify their feelings so that their responses to the child are in or close toyellow.Furthermore foster carers have reported that Comfort Zone is easily understood bychildren. Some children coming into care, as well as struggling emotionally also have no‘map’ for emotions. Some foster carers have used Comfort Zone to explain, contain andhelp children to self-regulate their emotions. They report that this is a relief for everyone.ConclusionsSince its development, Comfort Zone has been piloted and subsequently rolled out acrosslocal authority children’s centres, with health visitors, nursery nurses and foster carers.Comfort Zone groups have also been delivered for parents in various children’s centres. Sofar, both qualitative and quantitative data are positive, although further data are requiredon the hypothesised correlation between the concepts of attunement, attachment andthe Comfort Zone intervention.Areas for future development include antenatal classes. Some preliminary work hasalready been undertaken with teenagers which has been well received. The advantagesof antenatal work are twofold, Comfort Zone can be used as a preventative/earlyintervention so parents are informed about attunement and attachment before their babyis born thereby providing optimal conditions for a secure bond to form. In addition, asthis work is antenatal, there is no even implied criticism regarding people’s ability to beparents.A further new area for potential use of Comfort Zone is in schools. The colourspectrum could be placed on a wall and children could be informed that they are likelyto learn best when they are in the yellow zone. Staff trained to use Comfort Zone couldthen support students to use the strategies to emotionally self-regulate. One of the healthvisitors remarked that if schools did use it, this would simplify communication betweenfamilies and agencies as all would be using the same language.Brenda McLackland is Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Barnardo’s. She can becontacted on: ComfortZone@barnardos.org.uk.References1. Allen, G., Early intervention, Smart Investment, Massive Savings. London: HM Government.: 2-4.2. Van Ijzendoorn, M. et al(1992) The relative effects of maternal and child problems on the quality of the attachment: a meta-analysis of attachment in clinical samples. ChildDevelopment, 63: 840-583. Moss, E., Parent, S., Gosselin, C., Rousseau, D., and St Laurent, D. (1996) Attachment and teacher reported behaviour problems during the pre-school and early schoolage period. Development and Psychpathology, 8, 511-525.4. Greenberg, M.T., Kursch, C.A.. Cook, E.T.,& Quamma, J.P. (1995) Promoting emotional competence in school age children: The effects of the PATHS curriculum.Development and Psychopathology, 7, 117-136.5. see also McLackland, B., Channon, S., Fowles, K., and Jones, L., (2013) An intervention aimed at helping parents with their emotional attunement to their child.Community Practitioner 86(4); 24-276. Saunders, M.R. (1999) Triple P – Positive Parenting Program: Towards an empirically validated Multilevel Parent and Family Support Strategy for the prevention ofbehavioural and emotional problems in children. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review 2 (2):79-908. Douglas, H. and Ginty, M. (2001) Solihull Approach: changes in Health Visiting Practice. Community Practitioner 74 (6)9. Main, M., and Hesse, E., (1990) Parents’ unresolved traumatic experiences are related to infants’ disorganised attachment status: Is frightened and/or frightening parentalbehaviour the linking mechanism? In: Greenberg, M., Cicchetti, D., and Cummings, E., (eds) Attachment in the pre-school years, Chicago: Universiyt of Chicago Press:161-182.mailto"
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Special Needs

Moving into the comfort zone

11 Dec 2013

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      string(5694) "consistent from teacher to teacher. Allpupils need to be well-educated on this issue, so a whole-school approach is essential.Taking a whole-school, cross-curricular approachAddressing e-safety and countering extremism cannot be confined to timetabledPersonal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) or Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural(SMSC) development lessons. The most effective way to get children acting responsiblyon the internet is teaching them to question their sources and not to blindly trusteverything they see.This thinking can be encouraged in all subjects and at all ages. Teachers should askquestions like, ‘Is this fact, fiction or opinion?’ and ‘What is the intention of the authorof this article/video/picture?’. Everything online has been written with intent, especiallypropaganda from extremist organisations. To demonstrate this, English lessons canteach writing to persuade, drama can invite pupils to work out the motivations ofothers, and history can demonstrate that there is always an alternative perspective.‘Spoof materials’ can demonstrate the unreliability of online content. The onlinehoax of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is a good example – the site seemslegitimate and contains what seems to be factual information on the octopus’s diet,environment preferences and mating patterns. It is, of course, entirely fictitious.Showing children this site is a great way to demonstrate that the internet is to betreated with a certain degree of suspicion!Get parents involvedAnother important tactic for countering radicalisation is to bring parents on board.Usually children cannot access harmful web materials in school, due to robust filteringand monitoring processes, but at home, the floodgates are often open. Many parentshttp://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/68Vol 7.1School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadershipSkillse-safetyKnowledge trails1. Manager’s Briefcase: Preventing extremism – Guidance and resources to raise staff awarenessof the potential threat of extremist messages, and assist in setting up policy and practice to helpstudents build resilience against extremism.library.teachingtimes.com/articles/preventingextremism2. Are your students protected online? – Keeping our students safe online is more important nowthan ever before. Tim Pinto offers some useful safeguarding strategies.library.teachingtimes.com/articles/areyourstudentsprotectedonline.htmMore e-safety resources from the LGfLThe London Grid for Learning is committed to providing schools and parents with the information they needto combat the radicalisation of young people online and help children to navigate the internet safely. Tothis end, it has developed a wealth of resources, available free of charge to all, which can be found at: www.esafety.lgfl.net.The site features:■ The new counter-extremism videos featuring expert comment from Sara Khan, director of women’s rightsand counter-extremism organisation Inspire■ School policy templates covering e-safety provision, implementation, acceptable-use agreements, trainingmaterials and links to key publications and organisations■ One-minute guides – a series of short strategic guidance sheets produced specifically to inform schoolleaders on a variety of e-safety issues. Topics include geotagging of images, sexting, cyberbullying andhow Ofsted assesses a school’s e-safety provision, among others■ A complete framework for Early Years Foundation Stage and primary e-safety education resources■ Resources and useful links for helping parents understand issues relating to their children’s e-safety in thedigital era■ Links to e-safety reports, surveys and research■ Help for schools to plan and promote Safer Internet Day■ Advice and guidance for equipment-security issues.The London Grid for Learning is a community of 2,500 schools, academies and local authorities who benefitfrom the ‘bulk buying’ of Internet connectivity, associated services and digital curriculum content. It alsocreates original resources such as those detailed above, in keeping with its primary aim of supporting schools.are not aware of the various controls they can have over their internet connection andif they are, may not apply them to all devices in the home. Parents need to be the firstline of defence against children accessing inappropriate content online, but often needsupport to do so.Schools can provide e-safety advice for parents on their website, through newslettersor by distributing e-safety leaflets. The information should emphasise that combattingradicalisation does not require any specialist knowledge; it can be treated as a similarsubject to grooming. ISIS and the far-right have very sophisticated social media campaignswhich are slick, powerful and capture attention. Their members start online relationships fullof flattery and promises of better lives to those who appear to be interested.Communications should also cover danger signs to look out for: parents should bewary of a child suddenly using technology excessively, being secretive about what theyare doing online, behaving or dressing differently, adopting new attitudes or friends, orreceiving gifts or money from unknown sources.If you suspect a child is being radicalised online…If you believe a child is in imminent danger or you strongly suspect illegal or criminalactivity, go straight to the police. Otherwise, follow your child protection procedures.Report your concern to the school’s child protection officer, who will report it to theLocal Authority Designated Officer. They would"
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Leadership

Preventing the radicalisation of young people online

21 Sep 2015

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      string(367) "... bereavement and operates a helpline. Taken from Every Child MattersSubscribeReferencesBowlby, J. (1980) Attachment and Loss: Vol 3 Loss, Sadness and Depression. London Hogarth Press.Christ, G. H. (2000) Healing Children’s Grief: Surviving a Parent’s Death from Cancer. Oxford University Press.Dallos, R. and Draper, R. (2005) An Introduction"
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      string(5781) "sessions, parents note a significant improvement in their ability to talk with their children about these issues without getting upset or feeling inadequate.Alongside burial, we have had to face the dilemma of what to tell children about cremation – as many of the parents who died were cremated. Based on the idea that children at this age are very factual, we decided to present it very factually – anticipating that the difficulty belongs to the adults who have to explain it and not the children who hear it. Children do indeed accept cremation factually and, maybe to our initial discomfort, often want to put their fingers into the ashes and feel them in the little pot we have for another bug who has been cremated.At Winston’s Wish, we live constantly with the question of how much is it appropriate for children to k now. Is knowing something difficult ever detrimental to children’s wellbeing? Certainly, when explaining burial or cremation, a clear understanding of what it means to be dead is important so that a child is not left with disturbing issues. The group sessions are carefully sequenced to build on each other – and parents are told of the importance of attending all the sessions because of this.After the burial, we return to the room to light a candle as a way of introducing the children to a way of remembering someone. The children say who they are remembering, and the candle is lit for all of them. This activity is repeated with the parents in the end session to show them what we have done, talk about how they might use it as a family and to give candles to the parents to take home.Session sixSession six starts with a visit to the bug’s grave with fresh flowers. The rest of the time is used to remind the children of the content of each session, using the objects in the decorated memory boxes to remember. These reminders are also shown to parents at the end of the session, with the help of the children, so that the box and its contents can be the focus of useful, ongoing conversations at home. Each parent also shares one thing they have learned from their child over the six weeks. The aim is to encourage openness around talking about the death and recognition that it affects both children and parents.In any groups related to the experience of bereavement, goodbyes are very important. Families are reminded at the beginning that this is the last session – and time is spent at the end helping parents and their children relate to each other.Before leaving, children are given a soft toy to remind them of the group and parents are given a copy of one of the books used to read with their child and a list of all the books read over the course of the group. This is a sign that they now have the tools to continue what we have started. Families are told about the follow up session, which is held six weeks later, and are encouraged to keep in touch with each other as a means of mutual support.Follow upThe children have worked hard during the course of the group, so for them the follow up is purely about having lots of physical fun in the company of the same group of people. For parents, the follow up session is a time to compare notes, share concerns arising from the group and reflect with practitioners how they can put the teachings of the group into day-to-day practice.EvaluationBefore attending, parents are asked to complete a form expressing their hopes and expectations for the group. Some parents worry that attending the group will stir up difficult behaviour in their children.An evaluation form is completed at the end of the last session, and another at follow-up. This is to gather immediate responses, then more reflected thoughts, on the group-process and any changes they saw in themselves or their child.Parents report that:although there are still tricky moments, generally their children’s behaviour improved.    for some children, sleeping and bedtime routines improved over the course of the group.    the group helped their children, and often themselves, to talk more openly about the person who died to family members and others.    they discovered that they also have a right to grieve and that this can be combined with being a ‘good enough’ parent.    they felt better prepared to deal with questions and more confident about handling their children’s grief after attending the group,    they felt their children had grown in confidence and resilience.From ongoing contact with these families over a number of years and reports from teachers, it seems that children who attend the group are often more emotionally mature and literate than others their age.“Children’s reactions depend to a great degree on the way we, as adults, are able to respond, and the foundation we give them for processing their feelings and reactions. By letting children take part in rituals for grief, by keeping communication channels open and truthful, and by talking with children about what has happened, the best basis is laid for them to process their feelings and reactions” (Dyregov 2008 p85).Liz Koole is a senior practitioner at Winston’s Wish, a charity for bereaved children. The charity provides counselling before, during and after a bereavement and operates a helpline. Taken from Every Child MattersSubscribeReferencesBowlby, J. (1980) Attachment and Loss: Vol 3 Loss, Sadness and Depression. London Hogarth Press.Christ, G. H. (2000) Healing Children’s Grief: Surviving a Parent’s Death from Cancer. Oxford University Press.Dallos, R. and Draper, R. (2005) An Introduction"
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Special Needs

Counselling for kids

3 Sep 2009

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      string(5744) "ResourceTHE FINAL REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT CAMHS REVIEWOriginal DocumentThe Final Report Of The Independent CAMHS Review. This final report, launched at the Children’s Plan Conference, contains 20 recommendations for Government, sets out a clear vision for how we can all take responsibility for promoting children’s psychological well-being and mental health and how we can best achieve a step change in the quality and consistency of services at all levels.KeywordsCAMHS Review, Children’s Plan, psychological well-being, mental health, servicesSummarySince 2004 there has been significant progress within all services contributing to mental health and psychological well-being. There are new programmes to support infant mental health, some improvements in waiting lists for CAMHS, new projects being developed for children who are particularly vulnerable, the introduction of the Behaviour and Attendance programme in schools, the Healthy Care programme for children in care, more positive developmental activities for young people and a range of approaches to divert young people from offending.However, the report found that improvements in mental health and psychological well-being are still not as comprehensive, as consistent or as good as they could be, despite the detailed policy that exists.Main Findings:· Parents, carers and everyone in day-to-day contact with children and young people need a better understanding of child development, the causes of mental health problems and things they can do themselves to build resilience and deal with issues as they emerge, whatever age their child is.· Children and young people say that services are not as well known, accessible, responsive or child-centred as they should be. Those who access specialist services do not always have the opportunity to develop trusting relationships with staff for the length of time they need.· When problems arise, parents, carers, children and young people and the people who are working with them on a daily basis need swifter, more effective input from practitioners who are able to address the full range of needs, to ensure that a holistic approach is taken.· Long-standing problems persist for some particularly vulnerable children and young people in accessing a full range of appropriate support, at whatever age. This is despite numerous national reports highlighting the problems and possible solutions.· Administrative and legal processes, unhelpful thresholds for access to services and some entrenched professional views can ‘parcel up’ children into individual services and prevent their needs being met in a holistic, flexible and responsive way, or leave their needs unaddressed.· Unacceptable variations in service provision exist between regions and within local areas, leading to inequalities in the level and type of support offered to children and young people with similar needs.· Much of the research and evidence about risk and protective factors and effective interventions is not well understood or able to be accessed by very busy professionals.However, there are a number of powerful forces available now, which create an environment in which there should be both the ability and the will to address these long-standing issues. In particular:· Children’s mental health and psychological well-being is now a priority concern for many people – and society as a whole – rather than just a specialist interest.· The sea change brought about by Every Child Matters and the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services provides the vehicle to identify children’s needs and reshape the way in which those needs are met, through organisations and professions working effectively together around children and families.· There are numerous examples of good practice involving children and young people, parents, carers and workers that are literally transforming lives. These have relevance across the country.· The evidence base for interventions and practice that improves mental health and psychological well-being is better than ever before.ActionRecommendations:1. Everybody needs to recognise and act upon the contribution they make to supporting children’s mental health and psychological well-being. And they need to recognise the contribution others make.  For parents and carers, this means helping them to understand the importance of psychological well-being in their child’s life, and what they can do to promote this.2. Local areas have to understand the needs of all their children and young people – at population and individual level – and engage effectively with children, young people and their families in developing approaches to meet those needs. For parents, carers, children and young people, this means being listened to, knowing what is available and being able to access help quickly and in places they choose to go to.3. The whole of the children’s workforce needs to be appropriately trained and, along with the wider community, well informed. For practitioners, this involves having access to the best evidence and knowledge on improving outcomes for children and young people. For parents, carers, children and young people this means having the confidence that the people they are in daily contact with, as well as specialists, understand about mental health and psychological well-being and what works best if things go wrong.NotesAuthorRaspal Chima, Imaginative MindsDate CreatedNovember 2008Enquiries to:raspal.chima@yahoo.co.uk (Authoring Unit)Month / YearPage 1 of 1©Birmingham"
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Leadership

Final Report Of The Independent CAMHS Review

22 Nov 2008