Nurture:
Therapy & Family Wellness
Services
Assessments
Sensory Attachment Intervention (SAI)
Sensory Attachment Intervention (SAI) supports those children who experience regulation difficulties and experience fight, flight, freeze or dissociation. SAI has been developed by occupational therapist, Eadaoin Bhreathnach, as an integrative approach to the treatment of children and adults who have experienced early life trauma. At Nurture: Therapy & Family Wellness, we use an SAI approach and support children between the ages of 6-12 years of age. The assessment tools we use include the SAAP (Sensory, Arousal state, Attachment and Physiological Profile form) and the CAPA (Child Attachment and Play Assessment) to guide our support and Just Right State Intervention.
Child Attachment and Play Assessment (CAPA)
The Child Attachment and Play Assessment (CAPA) is an assessment for children aged between 3-11 years of age and has been developed by Dr Steve Farnfield. It combines Crittenden’s attachment model (The Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment) and Winnicott’s 'play, reality and potential space' to show how a child thinks and navigates their relationships with their main caregivers. The assessment is with the child and trained CAPA practitioner, and uses a doll-house and figures. The CAPA practitioner starts a family based story (the stem) and asks the child to 'show and tell me what happens next'.
Meaning of The Child (MoTC)
The Meaning of the Child Interview (MOTC) is a semi-structured interview developed by Dr Ben Grey, to explore what the child means to the parent and to gain an understanding of the connection and any risk in the parent - child relationship. The MOTC is based in attachment theory and explores the complexity of human relationships, and the multiple challenges parents and caregivers face in trying to protect, comfort and nurture their children. At times, the caregiver may feel there are struggles within their relationship with the child, and the MOTC explores how and why the struggles exist, and how the parent - child relationship can be supported and improved. During the interview, the caregiver is asked to talk and explore their relationship with their child, and also their own experiences of being parented.
Intervention
Play Therapy
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy used to help children, ages 4-11 years, to make sense of their life experiences, explore their feelings and express themselves through their natural medium of play, meaning they do not need to talk if they do not want to.
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Through play children are supported to find an inner resolution to become more able to deal with or adjust to problems. Play therapy is beneficial for children experiencing a wide range of emotional, behavioural and mental health issues including trauma, anxiety, depression, family difficulties and social challenges.
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We recommend a minimum of 12 sessions.
Just Right State (JRS) Programme
Children with regulation difficulties present as hyper-vigilant, they may shut out feelings, present as defiant, and at times be angry, cling to caregivers and are fearful of being left out or keep busy to avoid intimacy. These survival responses (fight, flight, and freeze) are the body’s response to fear. The goal of the JRS intervention is to enable the child to become more emotionally aware of themselves and others, to give them tools to enable them to self-regulate and achieve the just right state, whether it is to engage with parents/carers, in academic learning, interacting with their peers, or to be able to get a good night’s sleep. With the caregiver active in the session, the child learns to co-regulate with the caregiver.
The JRS sessions are aimed at children aged between 6-12 years old and are suitable for those with autism and/or ADHD. During the six JRS sessions, the child and parent use sensory equipment and activities (gym balls, clay, play equipment) and foods, to help the children learn how to self-regulate their emotional states and behaviour, and to rely upon others to co-regulate with them. The JRS sessions are video-recorded.
Alongside the JRS sessions, the caregivers receive an additional six one-to-one sessions with the SAI practitioner where, through the video analysis, explore how sensations can be used to - soothe, uplift, help the child stay calm when aggravated, offer a nurturing environment and most importantly, enable the caregiver to have fun in their relationship with their child. The caregiver receives feedback on the video recorded JRS sessions to explore the arousal state of the child, and how the child navigates their relationship with the caregiver.
JRS for Schools
A new exciting intervention offered within the school setting for children with regulation difficulties, including those with autism and/or ADHD, where their difficulties are impacting their learning. With schools experiencing an increase in children with regulation difficulties, and less resources to offer support, ‘JRS for Schools’ provides children with regulation difficulties the opportunity to explore how to self-regulate and how to co-regulate with key members of staff.
‘JRS for Schools’ uses the principles from the Sensory Attachment Intervention to support the child to become more regulated within the school setting, which enhances their chances of accessing learning. ‘JRS for Schools’ comprises of six sessions, provided either on a 1:1 basis or in small groups (up to four children), where the child through sensory equipment and activities (gym balls, clay, play equipment) explores the tools to support them to self-regulate and co-regulate. Teachers and learning assistants are actively encouraged to attend these sessions, and the school is given recommendations to support the children after the six sessions. Feedback sessions for parents is recommended.
Direct Work - Children & Parents/Caregivers
A practitioner led approach that uses evidence-based tools to provide support to children and/or parents who have experienced trauma or challenging life events. This short-term intervention supports in the understanding of these events and offers the development of coping mechanisms to move forward in a happier and healthier way.
Parent Groups/Support
Parenting is one of the hardest jobs in the world and in order to thrive, it is important to recognise the challenges that parenting can bring and manage those effectively. Parent support is available both 1-1 and within a group setting to provide parents and caregivers an opportunity to explore parenting styles, insight into their own experiences of ‘being parented’ and tools & strategies to improve their family life.
Training
(Bespoke training packages available upon request)
Regulation Difficulties in Children
Children with regulation difficulties present as hyper-vigilant, they may shut out feelings, present as defiant, and at times be angry, cling to caregivers and are fearful of being left out or keep busy to avoid intimacy. These survival responses, fight, flight, and freeze - are the body’s response to fear. This training explores why regulation difficulties often occur in relationships (at home, with peers, in schools) and practically how they can be supported through sensory activities. Participants on this training will explore how to support a child through the use of sensory activities and foods.
Attachment Theory and Attachment Strategies
Attachment theory is a psychological theory that explains how children form emotional bonds, with their primary caregiver and attachment strategies is how the child psychologically and physiologically naviagates their relationship in order to obtain comfort and protection from their caregiver. This training explores why attachment theory is so important in understanding the child’s need for comfort and protection and through the Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaption (DMM) we explore the key attachment strategies and there function within a relationship.
Compulsive Compliance in Children
Recent serious case reviews has highlighted the number of children seriously hurt or killed by caregivers who use a compulsively compliant attachment strategy. Children using a compulsive compliant try to protect themselves from danger by inhibiting negative affect (feelings, emotions, behaviour) and by doing what they believe their caregiver wants them to do due to fear of what their often anger and aggressive caregivers may do. This training explores how the child's psychologically perceives their relationship, how the child physiologically responds to the fear of danger and the interventions and therapy available for the child, and caregiver.
Working More Therapeutically
Offering those who work directly with children & young people some insight into a more therapeutic approach and the benefits this can provide.
Introduction to Play Therapy
A deeper insight into the world of Play Therapy and how it can transform the lives of the children and young people you work with.