Project :Kinship Carers and PreventionEdinburgh 15-17 APRIL

Pilot project AbruzzoThe project implementation was rebuilt after the drastic changes imposed by the earthquake in the area, that gave problems even to trace most of the kinship carers users. It was so decided to restructure the project and adapt activities to the current context and the needs of carers, trying to preserve as much as possible the original purpose, and:

• to support the health and the well-being of young people).

• to satisfy the needs of carers families.

The working team has set-up psychological interventions, activities and information material about the available services ( legal, medical, economic, etc. )..

Pilot project Abruzzo

The training was structured in four sessions, each lasting two hours, hosted by the schools. Parents were invited to the project with a written statement, a total of about 160 letters were delivered. The meetings were attended by four kinship carers, that have ensured their active presence, however, preferring to remain anonymous for privacy reasons. The claim was accepted by the team. Parents involved: 25Kinship carers involved: 4 Methods: Laboratory Group Psychologists Number: 4.

Pilot project Abruzzo

The intent was to improve parenting skills about good communication with their children, in order to support effective prevention of drug misuse.This experience brought us to understand the importance of spreading information about the delicate role of kinship carers. (with the intention of awareness…)

Pilot project Abruzzo

PARENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT SCHOOL

Mode: psycho educational group Strategy: narrative lab

Pilot project Abruzzo

Objectives: - Information - Promotion of effective communication - Providing ideas for thought - Promotion of the welfare for children and carers

Pilot project Abruzzo

Information on: - parental function and its complexity  - psychological and physical needs of the child

and family  - parenting skills and relationships with the

network of existing services in the area

Pilot project Abruzzo

Facilitate communication through:

- Exchange of experiences between parents/carers - Listening, dialogue, empathy - Being in touch with their emotions

Pilot project Abruzzo

Providing ideas for thought to:- Make requests for help - Identify problems - Defining objectives - Stimulate the search for alternative solutions- Manage conflicts

Pilot project Abruzzo

Promotion of the welfare for children and carers:

- Addressing the expectations in a positive way - Preventing manifestations of distress - Managing risk situations

Pilot project Abruzzo

Key elements of the experience: - Meeting at school, instead of the SERT structures, has reinforced the perception of the role in carers parenting - High interest and involvement - Stimulation of reflections about the meetings at home - Reduced sense of loneliness - More awareness of their parenting skills, and then of

‘self-esteem’ - Increase of advices requests at the SERT

Pilot project Abruzzo

Problem: lack of information about public services involved in this specific area of “Kinship carers and prevention”First step: creation of a pamphlet with guidelines about prevention of addictive behaviors and the network of public services available in our area. Second step: dissemination of materials aimed at a better definition of networking with other service members (family planning clinics, facilities of the town) Final step: involvement of school staff, primary care physicians

Working Team

PsychologistsCounselors Social workers

Working for years in a specialized public service for addiction (SERT)

Conclusions

At the beginning, the carers and parents were surprised about the working methods, the level of involvement was high.

Putting together the issues of carers and parents of pupils was a necessity but it came out to be a resource: speaking about emotions as a matter of fact put people on the same level, especially considering the absence of contexts in which they can discuss freely.

Conclusions

The initial situation was one group that included two types of parenting, but during the meetings this showed that the apparent differences, perceived mainly by anonymous carers, appeared to have little relevance to the questions that each participant has asked himself and has chosen to share with others.

Understanding that other (natural parents or not) often face the same problems in the daily management of children makes you feel less alone and helps to resize the difficulties or at least to see them from a different point. In our case then, as we all carers with which we are in contact are close relatives (uncles or grandparents) of children, this allows the reliable nature to minimize the risk of rejection by the child to new parents and keep the original family ties.

Conclusions

The chosen methodology sought to facilitate an attitude of openness and preparedness for change, most of the participants after the meetings, said they see little nuances not noticed before and feel supported by the fact that certain behaviours of children may belong to an evolutionary phase rather than to an inadequate response of the adult.

The centrality of effective communication, based on a closer examination of the needs of family members, seemed the best choice to create the most suitable conditions for the mental wellbeing of children and prevent hardship.

Thanks for your attention

Rita Di Matteo (Region Abruzzo) Maurizio Cupillari (ASL AQ)Sonia Ciuffini (Ser.T)Silvana Morelli (Ser.T)Marilisa Marianella (Ser.T) Fabrizia Cetrioli Coop. sociale IDeAli)Mariachiara Sulpizio (Coop. sociale IDeAli)Guerino Sciotti Gratti (Coop. sociale IDeAli)Morena Rosa Nurzia (Coop. sociale IDeAli)