“Unpacking the Needs of the Individual”

1. “Unpacking the Needs of the Individual” Sandy Corlett Services Manager Family Support Team - Edinburgh Cuiken House - Midlothian

2. Aims and Objectives of Family Support Team • To provide intensive therapeutic and educational support to children under twelve and their families, who are experiencing significant social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, to improve the quality of life for the children and to maintain them in their own school, family and community. • To provide individual work for children • To provide support in the classroom and school setting • To support parents and carers to promote positive family relationships • To provide group work programmes for children which will promote the development of social skills

3. Unpacking the Needs of the Individual • Early Identification • Assessing the needs • Working together with family and school • Multi-disciplinary working • Choice of interventions

4. Early Identification • Prevention • Establishing relationships with families • Using transition times • Reduce stress on teachers • Don’t overlook girls

5. Assessing the Needs • Holistic, ecological framework • Concurrently with family and school • Multidisciplinary work • Focus on developmental needs of child and family • Flexible, creative, generating solutions • Establishing relationships, assessing relationships • Complexities

6. Working Together • Relationships • Partnerships/reluctant partners • Partnership - power sharing, empowering • Face to face meetings • Time • Work with tensions • Multiple perspectives

7. Multi-disciplinary working • Collaboration • Valuing differences • Working at boundaries • Constant change !

8. Choice of interventions • To effect change and promote resilience • Repertoire of methods :- • Family work - counselling, parenting skills • Video Interaction Guidance (V.I.G.) • Small class groups Whole class work Social skills groups • Parenting groups e.g. “Incredible Years” • Transition groups • Joint work with other agencies