Training

The Odyssey (Parenting Your Teen) Programme is group based with 10-12 parents participating. It is based on the principle of prevention and early intervention. It helps parents of teenagers to establish an authoritative parenting style and manage issues arising with their children avoiding escalation. Research indicates that adolescents of authoritative parents perform better at school; exhibit fewer behavioural problems are less likely to engage in delinquency or substance abuse and display better emotional adjustment than their counterparts raised in non-authoritative homes.

The Incredible Years Parent Programmes focus on strengthening parent-child interactions and attachment, reducing harsh discipline, and fostering parents’ ability to promote children’s social, emotional, and language development. In the preschool and school age programmes parents also learn how to encourage school readiness skills and are encouraged to partner with teachers so that they can promote children’s academic as well as social skills and emotional literacy.

TCM has been shown to bring about significant changes in classroom behaviour for primary school children. These changes lead to a more productive classroom environment where teachers are more relaxed and confident and children acquire improved social skills, are more emotionally aware and behave in a more compliant manner.

This programme can be delivered in group or individual format. The programme uses a meta cognitive model of anxiety to address generalised and social anxiety disorders. The programme uses the learn, discuss and model (LDM) method to help children identify common narratives of anxiety, build resilience, and learn situationally specific coping skills. Run over ten sessions the programme design incorporates imaginal and in-vivo exposure experiments, behavioural activation and cognitive reframing techniques which allow the child to challenge and overcome their current perceptions of anxiety as a life limiting and fearful emotional state.

The Think Big Programme is a two year after-school programme for children in 5th and 6th class who demonstrate academic, creative, or sporting abilities. The objectives of the programme are:

• Development of positive peer groups / positive role models
• Enhancement of skills and aptitudes, especially social and emotional skills such as leadership, collaboration, and empathy
• Introduction to new experiences
• Support for children to achieve their potential, and develop their talents

Think Big uses an evidence-informed advanced enrichment approach, facilitated by a teacher. This approach will enable students to delve into topics not typically part of the school curriculum. Such an approach is child led and provides opportunities for the development of cooperation and collaboration, empathy, leadership, persistence, resilience, and self-directed learning. To develop an evidence base, the programme will be measured and evaluated throughout, using teacher reports and child satisfaction and interest surveys, using recognised measurement tools such as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

MAP is a 2-year, school-based programme which works with children aged 12- 16 years. The MAP programme is specifically designed to assist children to develop school continuance skills, through improving communication, problem solving, and regulatory skills can sustain positive relationships with learning. MAP supports students who have personal characteristics ( inattention, disinterest, disorganisation) that interfere with their learning. The programme seeks to dissipate children’s risk of school refusal, escape/avoidance behaviours and ultimately school failure. The programme develops student efficacy and promotes a greater awareness of the benefits of the school and classroom environments for both the student and their families.

The Changing Lives Initiative is an innovative early intervention programme for ADHD. The intervention for families consists of Information and Awareness workshops, a Screening Programme and an ADHD focused Incredible Years Parent Programme. The programme also provides training on ADHD to schools, early years’ providers, and other professionals.

This is a 6 session, school based programme for young people aged between 14- 16 years. The programme aims to:

• To support wellbeing and resilience in 14-16 year olds
• To reduce student anxiety and associated school refusal
• To support teacher wellbeing and positive mental health
• To develop positive parental competencies to address problem behaviours in the home

The programme has three components:

Student Programme: The principles that form the building blocks, or essential learning of the programme are: Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Achievement. Teacher Programme: The 2-session teacher programme will run side by side with, and compliment, the young person’s programme. One session will promote an understanding of the young person’s programme, including the PERMA elements and the principles of ‘Wellbeing Theory.’ The second session will use the principles of ‘Wellbeing theory’ to enhance teacher’s self-care skills and wellbeing strategies.

Parent Workshop: This is a 2-hour interactive workshop providing information on anxiety and how it manifests itself in children and young people and strategies do address the issue.

The Preparing to Parent ante-natal programme provides an opportunity for prospective parents to increase their understanding of their unborn baby’s development. The programme consists of four modules:

(1) communicating with your baby

(2) the sensory experience

(3) preparing for your baby

(4) post birth life changes

These modules provide access to practical skills and supports to make the transition to motherhood more successful. The programme facilitates pre-birth bonding and reduces ante-natal stress and unrealistic expectations. Designed for both group and individual delivery, the program supports mothers, and particularly first time parents, to explore the concept of parenthood, its impact on identity, role expectations and responsibility, and existing relationships. Post programme protocols facilitate mothers to develop a social support network to reduce the potential for post birth insularity and isolation.

This 2-hour a week 8-week programme that aims to assist long term Prisoners connect with their family and particularly children. The process includes mentoring, education and supporting fathers to connect with their children. Reach out has been piloted in Mountjoy Prison, and was co-developed by Fusion CPL. The process evaluation showed improvements in family engagement and improved relationships between fathers in prison and their children, as well as in the parental relationship.