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Parent & Carer Support
Do you feel like you have tried everything but nothing has changed? Do you feel exhausted trying to understand how your child is feeling or how to support them? Do you feel frustrated about the impact of these challenges on your family?
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SORT work closely with parents/carers to try and understand the challenges your family is facing with a view of working together to identify different ways to respond to difficulties. Our support will give you and your family the chance to reconnect and build on your strengths to ultimately become the family you always hoped for.
We offer an initial assessment period before identifying the most appropriate form of support for you and your family. Have a look below at the different types of parenting support we can offer however, if you don’t see something which you think fits what you need, get in touch and we will work together to see if we can create a tailored package of support to fit your needs as a parent/carer.
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Parent/carer sessions are typically one hour virtual sessions at a time that is convenient for you. They can be attended by either one or both parent/carers and any other supportive adult. The number of sessions can vary depending on your situation, we will work together to establish your goals and offer regular reviews after an agreed number of sessions so you don't have more than you need.
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Session fee's vary between £60 -£80.
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As part of our mission to be accessible to as many families as possible we are offering a reduced rate scheme. Reduced rates are available to families who are currently claiming Universal credit more information in FAQ section. Please note there is a 48 hour cancellation period required otherwise full fee will apply once a session has been agreed.
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Evidenced Based Parenting Programmes
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We offer 2 different forms of structured, evidenced based parenting support here at SORT. Evidenced based interventions are those that have been researched as effective in creating lasting change.
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NVR
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Non-Violent Resistance focuses on supporting parents/carers with children who are aged between 7-18 years old. The approach supports parents/carers to develop tools and techniques to care for children/young people who display challenging attitudes and behaviours. These may include controlling behaviours such as physical and/or verbal violence or aggression, anxiety and self-harm. There is also evidence that highlights NVR can work well with young people with a Neurodevelopmental diagnosis and eating disorders.
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Throughout the programme we will support you to focus your energy on one priority at a time, connect with your support network, manage your own levels of emotional arousal and reconnect with your child through the use of reconciliation gestures. We will support you to develop skills in resistance to escalations from your child by moving towards ‘striking when the iron is cold’ using planned and intentional responses. If you would like to learn more about NVR then please click the link below.
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Our team consists of Certified NVR practitioners to Advanced Level.
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Incredible Years Informed
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The Incredible Years Programme focuses on supporting parents/carers with children who are aged between 2-8 years old. The approach supports parents/carers to help their children develop skills in emotional regulation, social interactions, persistence when things are difficult and to manage their feelings when it comes to rules and boundaries. Incredible years is delivered on the foundation of play, positive interaction and coaching to help your child develop these skills live and in the moment. Incredible years was initially developed by Caroline Webster Stratton and is used to support parents/carers of children with conduct disorders such as Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) and Neurodevelopmental diagnosis however we also offer Incredible Years to families where children do not have a diagnosis.
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Throughout the programme we will consider concepts of play, praise, effective limit setting, natural and logical consequences, distraction, removal of attention and time out (both as a consequence for violent behaviour and as a calming space for emotional regulation). It is likely you will have tried a lot of these strategies before at different times however research indicates that thinking about strategies in a certain order, allowing time for children to develop the skills in the first stage before moving on to the next, can lead to sustained changes for both parents and children. If you want to learn more about Incredible Years then please click the link below.
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Our team consists of Incredible Years (Pre School Basic Programme) trained practitioners.
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Other Area's of Support
Emotional Needs
Does your child hit out or have tantrums? Does your teen shout at you when you ask them to do something which seems like a simple request? Does your child become overwhelmed and tearful over things you might not expect? Is your child constantly getting detentions at school or falling out with friends? Is your child self-harming?
Children of all ages can struggle to understand, express and manage their emotions which are essential skills needed for emotional regulation. Emotions are complicated in that they can be experienced both physically and cognitively; we feel things in our body and we have different thoughts going through our minds. Research suggests that a large percentage of children and young people require co-regulation; the process of a parent/carer being alongside to coach them through and model the processing of emotions in order to self sooth and calm the mind and body to build on distress tolerance.
We support parents/carers to think about emotional regulation and emotional literacy. Considering, which emotions does your child understand already and which do they struggle to identify. How do they know what they are feeling in their body and how do they tell the difference between anger and frustration or excitement and anxiety. Are they able to put language to what they are feeling. Are they using behaviour as a way of communicating their feelings because they can’t find the words.
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In our experience, this work is often more successful with parents than directly with children/young people as coaching in those moments of feeling emotionally overwhelmed is more powerful than thinking retrospectively about what they may have been thinking or feeling last week when they were upset or angry. We encourage parents/carers to think about their own emotional regulation and how to model this to their children. Considering, how do we show them what to do with the emotions they are feeling.
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If any of this sounds familiar to you then SORT can support you to think about how to co-regulate with your child/young person and how you can coach them to develop their understanding and use of emotional language. In order to reduce distress and increase their ability to understand, process and tolerate their feelings.
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Behaviour
Are you struggling with your child's behaviour and not sure what to do next or what else to try? Do you feel confused by your child's behaviour? Do you feel frustrated when your child doesn't listen? Are you at the end of your tether?
At SORT we believe that behaviour is a form of communication and that all behaviours have a purpose. This does not mean that all behaviours are acceptable but we can support you to think about what your child may be communicating through their actions and how to respond to this in different ways.
We draw on concepts from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and systemic approaches to help to understand what is happening for both you and your child/young person by identifying patterns of interaction. We can also draw on aspects of NVR and Incredible Years without having to complete the full programme. We can support with poor school attendance, difficulties with rules and boundaries and addressing challenging or defiant behaviours as well as supporting emotional wellbeing.
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Additional Needs
Does your child struggle with anxiety or low mood? Do they have a diagnosis, for example: ADHD, Autism or Sensory Processing Difficulties which impacts their abilities to attend school or engage in family life? Is your child struggling to manage their emotions and self-harming? Is your child struggling at school due to social, emotional or mental health concerns?
Parenting a child/young person with additional social, emotional and/or mental health needs can be challenging. SORT can support you to understand your child’s diagnosis and the specific parental strategies which can be helpful.
If you feel like you do not have a full understanding of how challenges may present differently in different situation, we can help you to think about how to respond to these challenges using strategies specifically tailored towards a certain diagnosis. We can join you when thinking with a network of professionals or other members of your family to identify new or different ways of interacting with your child, understanding their presentation and responding to their needs.
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Co-parenting
Are you struggling to co-parent with a partner or ex? Have you experienced a difficult separation that is impacting communication with a co-parent? Are struggling to navigate being a blended family with step children? Is your child having difficulties after a parental separation and changes to routine?
Co-parenting
Co-parenting can be challenging for a number of different reasons; sometimes the routines and boundaries are different in each households. There may also be tensions between co-parents that impacts open communication. Sometimes a child/young person's relationship is different with each parent which can effect how they respond to their parents individually.
Navigating co-parenting is not easy, here at SORT we can support parents/carers from multiple households to think about how to come together in a shared parenting approach. This doesn’t mean everyone has to parent in exactly the same way but we can think about how to work towards a cohesive approach so your child knows exactly what to expect, regardless of which parent/carer they are talking to.
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It is not always possible to work with everyone together so we will think with you about the best way to offer sessions and who you want to include in these sessions.
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Foster parents and Adoption Support
Are you a foster carer or adopter who is struggling with the challenges of looking after the child/young person in your life? Is it hard to make sense of why your child struggles? Do you experience a sense of your child/young person needing you close then pushing you away?
Providing a child with a loving home is truly amazing, you are part of a life-transforming journey for the children in your care. But we know it’s not easy, and it can often feel isolating. Whilst all parents can find life tough, exhausting or lonely at times, adoptive parents and foster carers may well face additional challenges, perhaps feeling that others don’t understand the issues they face.
At SORT, we can offer support to parents/carers of adopted children and children who are looked after. Children who have suffered abuse or neglect can often struggle with behavioural and/or emotional needs that require a particular approach to parenting. Complex Trauma as a child or young person can have an impact on education, emotional and social development, attachment, relationships and mental health. Traditional parenting strategies like reward and consequence such as time out or ignoring are often not effective for traumatised children as it can trigger fear based responses from abuse-based memories. We support parents/carers through Therapeutic Parenting approaches that are underpinned by easy to understand theory on attachment and trauma, alongside practical strategies in how to support your child with their behavioural and emotional needs that creates a therapeutic home environment.
All of our specialist services for adoptive parents and children can be paid for via the Adoption Support Fund. If you need any support understanding or accessing the fund, take a look here or get in touch and we can guide you through the process.
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Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can start working together.