TRAINING FOR FOSTERING & ADOPTION 

NVR (Non Violent Resistance) Group Program

‘Building resilience in the face of anger, conflict and violence’

This course focuses on NVR (non-violent resistance) based approaches and looks at how to respond to and reduce child to carer aggression and violence. It explores how to deescalate conflict, increase carer’s presence and feelings of influence within the relationship. It helps participants learn carefully timed and paced resistance to the aggressive behaviour in partnership with their support network. It increases caregiver confidence and reduces feelings of isolation and powerlessness. 

Non-violent resistance is an ethos which takes into account developmental trauma, working to bring about improvements in behaviours and to reduce the risk of placement and family disruptions. Resisting destructive behaviours is a powerful choice to make! It works!

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Who is NVR designed for?

NVR is designed for parents and foster carers experiencing any of the following behavioural difficulties:

• Physical violence

• Verbal abuse 

• Controlling behaviour ​

• Destruction of property

• Drug or alcohol misuse

• Criminal activity

• Self-harm

What will be offered within the course?

• A strong and firm stance against violence

• A method that refrains from responding with verbal or physical aggression

• A positive and strong ‘parental presence’ in a child/young person’s life

• Skills in de-escalating conflict

• Making a strong commitment to a child/young person

• Reducing the cycle of shame that comes with violence

• Recruiting and engaging supporters/ wider networks more effectively

• A safe and supportive group experience

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Initial consultations with all participants take place before the course commences.

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Duration: 8 weeks (2hrs per week) 

Maximum amount of Participants: 10

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Life Work Training

‘Supporting young people in thinking and talking about their life stories and their identity’

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This course will look at life story work as an ongoing process and journey to support the development of young people’s sense of self and identity. We will explore the importance of life story work as a way of helping children and young people process and integrate their past within their present. The course offers participants an opportunity to further develop their skills in how to engage children and young people in thinking about their life experiences. We will discuss how to talk with young people about their experiences at different ages alongside offering extensive creative ideas for undertaking life story work. This workshop can also be adapted and delivered to social work staff. 

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On completion of this course, participants will have an understanding of:

• Why it is important to help young people talk about their life experiences

• The roles and responsibilities within life work

• Some of the challenges they may encounter (within themselves, the child, the wider network)

• How to build the child’s story over the years (scaffolding exercise using a case example to explore how to approach life work at different ages )

• Different mediums for life work – for example the use of tree of life model, memory boxes, life paths, therapeutic stories, using post its and luggage tags to capture shared experiences etc

• How to support the creation of life story books

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Duration: 4 hours

Maximum amount of Participants: 15 

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'When Words are Not Enough'

Making sense of children's communication

Talking to children and young people does not always give the full picture of what is really going on in their inner worlds. Much of their experience is processed on a non-verbal level, thus making it difficult for them to verbalise their feelings. Children and young people who have not experienced attuned care in their early life often struggle with emotional regulation and need extra help to make sense of their feelings. In this workshop we will look at children’s emotional and social development as well as exploring new ways of tuning into children’s communication through play and other creative means.

On completion of this course, participants will have an understanding of:

• Early Relational Attunement – how does communication develop?

• The impact of developmental trauma on a child’s social and emotional communication

• Communication in Relationships – Identifying their own responses and patterns of communication with children

• Tops tips for communication – finding new patterns of relating

• A range of practical and creative ideas for communication with children through play and other mediums  

Duration: 3hrs 

Maximum amount of Participants: 15

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'Who’s in Charge?'

Negotiating control issues with children and young people

This workshop will explore the reasons why children who have experienced early neglect and trauma often seek to have tight control over their environment and their relationships. We will think about what it feels like to be on the receiving end of controlling behaviour and how it impacts on family relationships. We will look at strategies to respond to controlling behaviour and ways to avoid the everyday battles over who’s in charge.

On completion of this course, participants will have an understanding of:

• the impact of childhood trauma on relationships 

• the ways in which participants own experience of being parented shapes their parenting style 

• how to avoid getting into a battle for control with children and young people while maintaining parental strength and presence 

• playful strategies for negotiating issues of control with children and young people that work to create a safe environment  

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Duration: 3hrs 

Maximum amount of Participants: 15

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'Weathering the Storms'

Taking care of yourself through challenging times

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This workshop will help carers explore the experience of holding the complex emotions of children and young people within their care. We will focus on how to hold onto your own identity and how to look after your family and couple relationships, recognising the wider impact fostering can have.

Within this will think about the impact of secondary trauma that can arise when caring for children who have experienced developmental trauma. We will explore approaches to taking care of and nurturing yourself, recognising that carers need to be well cared for in order to provide the foundations for children and young people to flourish.

On completion of this course, participants will have an understanding of:

• the impact of childhood trauma on relationships

• how to use self reflection and self care in recognising and managing secondary trauma

• creative ways to nurture the couple and wider family relationships during challenging times 

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Duration: 3hrs 

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Maximum amount of Participants: 15

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