The Early Intervention Service

The central importance of parents/carers and the therapeutic work with families

In order to maximise the possibility of change, and to understand how a child's home and school worlds impact on each other and the child, therapeutic family work is also undertaken simultaneously with the parents/carers of each child, throughout their child's placement at The Acorns.

This is undertaken by qualified systemic Family Therapists, previously working in Child and Family Consultation Centres. This outreach approach is valued by families and:

Meetings take place regularly every 2-3 weeks, sometimes with the parents, and sometimes with the whole family after school
These meetings can be held either at 'The Acorns' or at the family home, depending upon a families preference, which is usually the latter

The focus of the work is always to find ways to support the child and family emotionally and practically, and to help bring about the changes in behaviour that the school and parents have indicated they want to see, and the solutions that the child is hoping for (a separate background paper about Family Therapy is available).

While families are told that the content of discussions and meetings are confidential, they are also told that all Early Intervention Service staff are bound by the local authority's Child Protection Procedures and are required to share information should the need arise.

Where a family already has ongoing links with other professionals, such as a Health Visitor or an allocated Social Worker, permission is sought from the family for the Service to liaise with that person and negotiate areas of work to enhance support to the family.

Network meetings are often held at different points in our work with families, and other involved professionals are invited to attend pupils' routine reviews.

Parenting groups

In addition to offering Family Therapy to the families of each referred pupil, the Early Intervention Service works collaboratively with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Child and Family Consultation Service in Woodward Road to co-run parenting groups at The Acorns Centre.

Parents of the children referred to the Acorns can attend along with families referred to Child and Family Consultation Centres. The effective 12 week 'Webster-Stratton' programme for 3-8 year olds - 'The Incredible Years' underpins this intervention.

Contact

Julie Hamilton

Operations Manager

Acorns 2

50 Markyate Road

Dagenham

RM8 2LD

Tel: 020 8724 1053 or 020 8724 1054

Fax: 020 8724 1055

Email: julie.hamilton@lbbd.gov.uk or theacorns@bardaglea.org.uk|