Listening to children's wishes and feelings - handbook and training programme

‘All our staff who attended this course have benefited greatly and now use the direct work taught with children and young people in their care.’
Grace Wallace, Voluntary & Community Sector Training Co-ordinator, Wandsworth

Recently published adoption and fostering standards emphasise the need to listen to children's views, wishes and feelings when planning services. For children who have experienced loss and often multiple transitions, feeling heard, understood and having their views taken seriously is particularly important. These new resources will be invaluable to social workers, adoptive parents and foster carers who are helping children to feel heard and to build resilience and identity.

Listening to Children’s Wishes and Feelings is a training programme which will equip participants with a range of techniques for effective listening and communication with children, including helping children to express themselves and thereby promote a strong sense of identity. It is a four-day or four-session progamme, and can be delivered as a whole or in modular form; it is also easily adaptable into a shorter course.

It consists of: a training programme including a CD-ROM containing PowerPoint presentations and handouts; and a handbook including a Techniques CD-ROM containing over 80 strategies, activities and techniques that can be used in direct work with children.

Listening to Children’s Wishes and Feelings will enable participants to:

• Better understand how a child’s attachment and development are affected by loss,
  trauma and/or a disrupted childhood;
• Learn about ways in which children communicate their wishes and feelings
  through action, behaviour and play;
• Help children deal with loss, express emotional needs and manage strong feelings;
• Use reflective listening skills and assessment techniques with children to identify their needs, wishes and feelings;
• Work with children to process difficult past experiences and develop a sense of identity;

This is a must-have resource for all those doing direct work with children.

The authors

Mary Corrigan is an Independent Social Worker, Child Care Consultant, Play Therapist and Trainer for several London boroughs and voluntary agencies. Joan Moore is a Dramatherapist, Play Therapist and an Adoption Support Agency, with a background in social work

BULK DISCOUNT – Place an order for 10 or more copies of the handbook and pay just £15 per copy