Choices and Changes

The focus of ‘Choices and Changes’ is on building on family’s strengths to provide safe parenting and improve life skills. This is the foundation for life long learning.

Taking part in the Choices and Changes programme is compulsory within the placement. Evidencing change is important for a successful outcome for the assessment. The Placement Agreement Care Plan completed before the placement begins will provide information surrounding the agreed concerns and areas which need to be addressed. Along with the parents perceptions this will then direct individual programmes. The families will be actively involved with the planning of their Choices and Changes programme and observations during placement may highlight further issues to look at.

Serendipity will follow a number of accepted best practice and social work approaches whilst embracing new researched learning methods. Our experienced team offer different learning styles and formats to make learning less threatening and fun. There will be group work and individual sessions, learning by example (modelling) the repetition of tasks, guest speakers, games and exercises, DVD’s/software etc.

Responsibility and consequences are the key concepts to this work, building up self-esteem to enable positive change to occur. It is important to build or rebuild the needed relationships to secure a safe healthy family. This approach will help to restore trust and begin to enable the family to be treated as an individual rather than a problem. It will encourage positive attachment and the strengthening of family life.

We give families the opportunity to gain social skills which are vitally important for family life. The communal meals which are prepared and shared together will encourage communication and social skills.

Serendipity is fortunate to be located in exceptional natural surroundings, so the opportunity to encourage the family to explore ‘no cost’ trips out is excellent. This is a very relaxed learning environment for parent play/keeping safe/health sessions to take place.

There is experienced childcare provision whilst parents attend sessions.

Parents are expected to cooperate fully in the daily life of the centre.

Programme of Intervention Work

• Understanding Child Development
• Importance of Routines, Boundaries, Stimulation & Play
• Safeguarding - Understanding and minimising Future Risks
• Budgeting, including Money Management & Debt Control
• Healthy Lifestyle - Nutrition, Hygiene, Health & Safety
• Developing social skills including Self-esteem, Assertiveness & Positive communication skills
• Timeline work to consider how childhood experiences have affected teenage/adult behaviour
• Personal Development / Empowerment work
• Anger Management
• Understanding Mental health
• Internet Safety, including sexual exploitation

Domestic Abuse

• Healthy relationships - What are they?
• Definitions of Domestic Abuse, including Controlling and Blaming behaviour
• Self Reflection - exploring cycles of violence, actual experiences, self preservation
• Consideration of relationships for the future / Healthy Relationships
• Domestic Violence and the impact on children
• Child Protection Issues - What harm has been caused? What needs to be different? Impact on child/parent relationship.

Substance Misuse

• Drug History - Facts, Attitudes & Values
• Short / Long Term Symptoms & Effects - Reflection
• Relapse Prevention
• The Law - Harm reduction & Interventions
• Alcohol, Substance Misuse & Violence
• Effects on Children, Short & Long Term