Frustration. That was the overriding emotion I remember when I was a worker faced with a lack of ways to engage adolescents in life story work. I, like many others trying to engage adolescents in reflective dialogues akin to those of life story work, was frustrated. The year was 2005. Technologies such as MSN chat…
I have always struggled with children being described as ‘angry’ or doing things because they ‘are angry’. How can a child or anyone be one simple emotion, unless it is to make things more straightforward and ‘tidy’ for the adults around them? Why is this such a problem for me? Because it seems so damning…
For children growing up in care, it can be difficult to ever feel settled, even when they leave the care system. I feel very strongly that all children deserve to feel as though they are truly cared about, and that they can be part of a loving family unit. In support of the work done…
When we are doing our very best to care both emotionally and practically for a child who seems to be unaware of this and to reject our efforts, it can touch us in a deeply personal way. It may trigger a sense of frustration that our best does not appear to reach them or be…
Equine facilitated learning and equine therapy are growing in popularity throughout the UK and other countries. In general terms they use horses and ponies to help people learn about challenges they may be facing, and explore ways to work through these challenges. There are many types of equine facilitated learning and equine therapy. Stable Relationships…
Baby Bear was initially borne out of a sense of frustration rather than any creative urge to write my first children’s book! I was working for a domestic abuse organisation at the time supporting parenting and children impacted by living with domestic abuse and violence. I always took a range of books with me to…
Top 10 Things Every Child Needs We asked our Facebook community what they considered were the top ten things that every child needs taking for granted that food, water and oxygen are necessary for any child. Thanks to all of you for your input. From the responses received we have identified our top 10. Did…
I can’t foster because I am single and not in a relationship or I am in a gay relationship Wrong The findings of a recent survey by ‘The Fostering Network’ suggested that approximately 10% of foster carers are single carers. Without finding any more definitive research, our anecdotal evidence (mainly in the South East of…
Attachment is the relationship and bond a child has with a caring adult or adults. Levy & Orlans (1998) tell us, Attachment is a deep and enduring connection established between a child and caregiver in the first several years of life……Attachment is not something that parents do to their children; rather it is something that…
Keeping children safe from sexual exploitation Every year, thousands of children in the UK are forced or manipulated into sexual activity in a form of abuse called child sexual exploitation. It’s important for foster carers to know the signs to look for to help prevent a child in your care entering an unsafe relationship,…