Page 366 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 2019
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world, including through outdoor learning and participation in mainstream social and cultural activities.
Our hosts then took us to speak with managers and social workers who work with young people at risk and their families, including in the provision of functional family therapy to support families to address the issues that are preventing a young person being or feeling safe at home. Again, there was a firm focus on the importance of relationships and building trust with young people by meeting them where they are at.
The next stop was Renfrew Health and Social Work Centre where we met a nurse who delivers support for mothers up to 19 years old under the family nurse partnership model and a young mum who has benefited from her visits from pregnancy until her child was two years old. Here we were also shown the baby box that is offered to all new parents in Scotland, again, a universal offer that prevents stigma.
The last leg of the trip was Cork where we visited the young Knocknaheeny program focused on infant mental health and wellbeing, and Youth Reach, providing young people who have not been able to engage with mainstream school a second chance at education. Young Knocknaheeny has been established in a particularly disadvantaged region of Cork where a number of community sector leaders recognised that the service system was fractured and families and children were falling through the gaps. This group came together to develop a coordinated, evidence-based service response and to seek funding under the national area-based childhood program funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies.
The program is built on a strong evidence base around the impact of adverse childhood experiences and early trauma. This had been a theme throughout the trip but it was interesting to hear in detail how high level academic research has been built into a program that is having a very practical impact in changing the way services are delivered.
The infant mental health and wellbeing strategy is based on the premise that experiences and relationships occurring as children have long-lasting impact and that children should be nurtured. It is also grounded in the firm belief that it is possible to deliver dramatic improvements in life prospects for young people facing adversity with the right environments and supports.
Young Knocknaheeny is again focused on relationships as well as strengthening children’s capacity for self-regulation, language development and building capability across all services for children. A key element of the latter is the rollout of “incredible years training in classroom management” to more than 85 per cent of teachers, giving them tools to reduce conflict and make learning more engaging for three to eight-year-olds.
Once again, working with parents early was seen as vital and there are a range of group and individual supports under the program. One service offered is an intensive home visiting service with visits as often as weekly for parents with children zero to
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