Is Family Therapy Including Children?

Oehlers, Kirsty; Shortland-Jones, Robin

doi:10.1002/anzf.1017

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…There are many studies on engaging children in therapy and the importance of working systemically with the whole family (Higham et al, 2012;Oehlers & Shortland-Jones, 2013;O'Reilly, 2015;Raimondi & Walters, 2004;Rober, 2008;) although limited literature regarding working systemically with children in care (Barratt 2016;Peacock et al, 2016;Wilson, 2000).…”

Section: Findings From the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Young people, living in care and adopted, talk about their experiences of receiving an NHS therapeutic intervention. Qualitative research analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Herring

2021

Journal of Family Therapy

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This study explores the views and experiences of young people, adopted and in the care of a local authority who had received a therapeutic intervention from an NHS Attachment and Trauma Specialist Agency. Three children were interviewed, aged between 10 and 14 years, using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The analysis of the results met with the findings in the literature that young people want to have access to non-judgmental therapy which both meets their needs and is creative. Recommendations for clinicians include giving adequate preparatory information and ensuring on-going collaboration with young people receiving therapeutic interventions through the use of on-going feedback about what works for them. Practitioner points:• Practitioners should consider carefully how young people in public care are 'invited' to therapy, and give adequate pre-session information to help to reduce anxiety.• Children and young people in public care engaging in therapy prefer a practitioner style which is creative, playful and enjoyable.• A systemic framework can be integrated with attachment and trauma focused models of intervention. | 427 YOUNG PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES OF THERAPY '... the benefits of researching our own therapy and our own organizations, can be profound...' (Dallos & Vetere, 2005, p. 174).Systemic research invites the researcher to be reflexive, considering the ethics of her work and way of being in relation to both research and practice (Simon and Chard, 2014). Whilst relational ethics in research is about exploring daily practice, in order to both understand and improve this, which for me includes having an ability to hear and respond to the voice of the child (Helps, 2017;Simon and Chard, 2014), this paper reflects on a post-therapy service evaluation. Children in the care of the local authorityOn 31 March 2019, 78,150 children and young people in England were looked after by local authorities; 25% identified as Black or minority ethnic, with 73% placed with foster carers and 3% in adoption, neglect and abuse being the central reasons for them entering care (Department of Health 2004. Children and young people living in care are more likely to have poorer educational outcomes with a higher risk of receiving a mental health diagnosis -45% compared with 10% of the general population (NICE, 2019;NSPCC, 2015). Black and ethnic minority children report experiencing racism, feeling different and not belonging, especially where transracial placements do not support their cultural identity needs (Harris, 2016).According to Davies et al. (2009), children in care are the most vulnerable in society and often excluded from service-user involvement. Children believe they receive less information and control over their lives in terms of decision-making compared with their peers who live with birth families (Coram Voice, 2015). Policy guidelines advocate children's right to access specialist mental health services and hav...

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Section: Findings From the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Young people, living in care and adopted, talk about their experiences of receiving an NHS therapeutic intervention. Qualitative research analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Herring

2021

Journal of Family Therapy

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“…Working with children requires knowledge of a child's developmental abilities and limitations in relation to their levels of communication (Oehlers, 2013) and a capacity to tune into the creative and playful world of the young child. Their polarised expressions of 'it's good' or 'bad', 'its my favourite' or 'I hate it', like ice-cream versus brussels sprouts, doesn't give voice to the full experience of a life lived in the many shades of colour.…”

Section: Engaging Children In Family Therapymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their polarised expressions of 'it's good' or 'bad', 'its my favourite' or 'I hate it', like ice-cream versus brussels sprouts, doesn't give voice to the full experience of a life lived in the many shades of colour. Working with children requires knowledge of a child's developmental abilities and limitations in relation to their levels of communication (Oehlers, 2013) and a capacity to tune into the creative and playful world of the young child. As Freeman, Epston, and Lobovits (1997) noted: 'Serious discussions and methodical problem solving may impose on children's communication, shutting out their voices, inhibiting their special abilities, knowledge and creative resources' (p. 3).…”

Section: Engaging Children In Family Therapymentioning

confidence: 99%

Sometimes Words Just Ain't Enough – Enhancing the Contribution of Children in Therapy through Creative Expression

Klop¹

2017

ANZ J of Family Therapy

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The meaningful inclusion of children in family therapy is an ideal that therapists readily align with and yet struggle to implement effectively. Within a practice that relies heavily on verbal expression, young children provide a unique challenge for therapists, who require developmentally appropriate opportunities for the child to express, document, and share his or her experience in all its richness and colour. In this paper the author utilises art therapy to support greater inclusion of children in family therapy by capitalising on their creative talents and facilitating the child's visual story within the family dialogue. This can assist in the formulation and treatment of systemic issues.1 The meaningful inclusion of children in family therapy recognising that therapy with children cannot be a 'simplified' version of adult therapy. 2 Therapeutic approaches that rely heavily on the use of verbal expression alone do not adequately provide opportunities for children to express the width and breadth of their experience. 3 Art therapy offers therapists a way to capitalise on the unique creative capabilities of children allowing opportunities for a child's story to be told, heard, and incorporated in a meaningful way within the family dialogue effecting opportunities for systemic change.

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“…Highly relevant to this article is an investigation of content relating to children in family therapy texts and family therapy training programs in Australia. Oehlers and Shortland‐Jones (2013) found that of 10 family therapy textbooks published from 2010–2012, only three contained content specific to children, and of the 14 family therapy courses reviewed only three ‘contained units devoted solely to working with children’ (p. 221). Moreover, in the absence of such content within family therapy courses, it is possible to gain entry to the family therapy profession without having studied this in a previous qualification.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A commentary on infant mental health knowledge within the training of family therapists

Elliott,

Cousins,

Opie

et al. 2023

ANZ J of Family Therapy

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This paper considers the role of academic training programs in the integration of family therapy and infant mental health (IMH) curricula. It takes the form of a conversation between senior academic staff of the Bouverie Centre in Australia and the special issue editors. Robyn Elliott and Colleen Cousins are family therapists, trauma specialists, and academics at the Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University. Robyn supervises the development and delivery of the Master of Clinical Family Therapy, accredited by the Australian Association of Family Therapy. Colleen is a psychologist and family therapist and coordinates the Graduate Certificate of Family Therapy program. They are in dialogue here with the special issue co‐editors, Jessica Opie and Jennifer McIntosh. We consider the degree to which current family therapy training holds the infant in mind, and approaches to deepening the future training nexus between IMH and family therapy.

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Is Family Therapy Including Children?

Cited by 3 publications

References 28 publications

Young people, living in care and adopted, talk about their experiences of receiving an NHS therapeutic intervention. Qualitative research analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Young people, living in care and adopted, talk about their experiences of receiving an NHS therapeutic intervention. Qualitative research analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Sometimes Words Just Ain't Enough – Enhancing the Contribution of Children in Therapy through Creative Expression

A commentary on infant mental health knowledge within the training of family therapists

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