Old Kit Bag
Group work for parents/carers of children and young people, Its aim is to promote positive behaviours. Focused on behavioural concerns and mental health promotion. It is provided over 8 sessions plus an introductory and end of programme session. Parents/carers set three goals to work towards, one goal in each of the following areas:
- Behaviour management;
- Environmental – Home;
- Academic -School.
It is based on a multi-family therapy (MFT) approach.
Research on MFT:
Therapeutic interventions delivered to a number of families at the same time in a multi-family setting have been used for over 70 years in the treatment of a variety of disorders as well as for families with high levels of social problems and risk of breakdown in adult, adolescent and child populations (Asen & Scholz, 2010; Laquer, La Burt & Morong, 1964; McDonell & Dyck, 2004; O’Shea & Phelps, 1983; Steinglass, 1998). Benefits have been reported in improvement of people’s symptoms, reduction of relapse and re-hospitalization rates, improvement in family caregiver distress, increased social and vocational functioning, overcoming stigmatization and social isolation, and improving the collaboration among patient, family and clinicians (Ases, 2002; McFarlene, 2002, Scholz et al., 2005, Steinglass, 1998). Involving families in treatment is particularly important for young people who live at home, and have regular contact with their family. The underlying philosophy is that the family system must be considered in order to make significant changes regarding the child’s symptomatology (Bryce & Lloyd, 1981; Tavantzis, Tavantzis, Brown & Rohrbaugh, 1985).
