Working with Families
In all our programmes of therapy, we involve caregivers and other family members in an inclusive and flexible approach which recognises that every child experiences their world through a complex network of relationships. There are circumstances in which a model that focuses on relational engagement within families is the best approach. The Windfall Centre has provided Filial Therapy programmes through fully trained therapists for over ten years. Over this time, we have developed our own flexible models, incorporating mentalisation techniques for supporting families that recognises the complexity and diversity of families who refer to us through The Nurturing Families Programme.
Filial Therapy
In Filial Therapy, parents and carers are introduced to the concepts of therapeutic parenting and the vital importance of play and playfulness. In weekly sessions with their Filial Therapist, they are introduced to the therapeutic powers of play in strengthening attachment and they are taught therapeutic play principles and skills, such as reflective listening, recognising and responding to children’s feelings, therapeutic limit setting, and building children’s self-esteem and confidence using structured activities. They learn how to attune to their children’s thoughts, intentions and feelings in order to enhance the attachment relationship between parent and child. Filial Therapy is a gentle and playful process which aims for outcomes that are sustained over time and endure through stress as the therapist works with parents to strengthen the core bonds of a family. It is especially beneficial in re-building strong attachment relationships where these have been undermined by adversity.
Filial Therapy, as well as The Nurturing Families Programme, assists families with diverse needs and can be especially effective in strengthening family relationships where a child has been diagnosed with autism, disability or chronic illness. Its non-judgmental ethos reflects the core elements of unconditional acceptance and positive regard at the heart of Play Therapy. Parents are collaborative partners in the process and the natural capabilities of families to work together, and their individual and cultural approach to parenting is valued and respected.
Approaches such as Filial Therapy, which employ the active involvement of caregivers and use skills based on early attachment formation such as attunement and empathy to repair family relationships have been extensively researched and supported in literature over the last 50 years. Such models have been shown to be helpful to a wide range of families of varying compositions. Research also indicates that the progress achieved in caregiver-mediated programmes tends to endure over time rather than tail off after support ends.
The Nurturing Families Programme
The Nurturing Families Programme is an early intervention approach based on two fundamental concepts: The critical role secure attachment continues to play throughout the lifespan to ensure successful development and the value of play as the basis for children’s healing and progress. Based on the core ideas of Filial Therapy, it is especially designed for parents and carers who are want to strengthen their relationship with their babies or young children. It is delivered by BAPT accredited Play Therapists specifically trained in Filial Therapy and Infant Mental Health.
The Nurturing Families Programme is both reparative and preventative, with the focus on the relationship between caregiver and child. One of the key elements is the use of the interactive behaviours seen in the early years of development between parent and infant. These behaviours should come naturally, underpinning secure attachment and healthy child development; however, a wide variety of challenges can undermine the parent-child relationship and create the need for additional support and guidance. In the early years programme, parents and carers look not only at the needs of their young children through reflective work, but also at their own history and experience to consider what may be undermining their ability to relate and care. These mentalisation techniques, alongside information about attachment and infant development, also assist in supporting maternal bonding in preparation for parenthood in the perinatal programme.
The Hand in Hand Programme
The Hand in Hand Programme is a relational approach to meeting some of the challenges of parenting children and young people who are neuro-diverse, particularly those on the Autistic Spectrum.. The programme is based on the tenets of Filial Therapy with a focus on Attachment and Bonding but takes into account the very specific sensory and neurological factors associated with autism and associated neurological conditions.
Hand in Hand offers families who have received diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Conditions for their children the opportunity to develop therapeutic play skills to use in their interactions. This approach encourages a non-directive and contingent stance on the part of the adult in their engagements with their children. When caregivers have developed their skills and confidence the therapist supports them in setting up and then observing them in special therapeutic play sessions at home between caregiver and child, giving feedback on their skills development and providing support with strategies for effective parenting.
Extensive research has highlighted that a child-led and attuned approach underpins better prosocial behaviour and overall developmental outcomes for autistic children (e.g. Siller and Sigman, 2002). Additional contributions through psycho-education on the facets of autism alongside ongoing parental support offers families a robust support system at what can be a very confusing and challenging time following a diagnosis.