Topic: The Insiders’ Guide parent carer course – Kim Aumann & Dr Carrie Britton
Resources: You can download the slides.
Session summary: Resilience is the ability to withstand and recover from stressful life challenges, becoming strengthened and more resourceful. It’s a concept and source of knowledge that the Insiders’ Guide Parent-Carer Support Course translates into practical things that parent carers need to make happen to improve the odds for children and families managing tough times. Parenting has got to be one of the hardest jobs there is – and it’s tougher when you have a child with additional needs such as a disability, special educational need, complex health or behaviour issue. Insiders’ Guide is a manualised support course that aims to build parent resilience so that they are well-placed to enjoy their journey bringing up their children with additional needs.
This session will outline the course components, how parent carers engaged with the design and delivery, and report on the most recent evaluation which explored the impact of delivery in three different locations across the country. If you want to learn more about the experience of parent carers, are curious about resilience moves you might make to support parents, or simply fancy a pack of popcorn while you watch the film we’ve made to capture the voice of parents and practitioners involved in this project, then do join us.
Biography: Kim has worked for longer than she cares to admit, as a community worker, parent support practitioner and manager of third sector organizations. Originally from Australia, Kim had to leave the beach in order to complete her studies in sociology, counselling, group work and research methods in the UK. A Visiting Fellow with the Faculty of Health and Social Science at the University of Brighton, Kim works closely with academics, parent carers and practitioners involved in the development and delivery of resilience based work. She is Co-Director of BoingBoing, has co-authored a book for parents about Resilient Therapy and published articles and book chapters on community university partnership working.
Carrie works as an independent advisor, speaker and trainer to improve the design, delivery and standards of services for families of children additional needs. Co-Chair of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums she started working as an Occupational Therapist in the early 80’s in a range of community and hospital roles in the NHS. In 1992, having established a rheumatology OT department, life changed when her oldest daughter, aged two, developed a severe form of systemic idiopathic juvenile arthritis. Since then, she has helped to establish a number of pioneering parent led and award winning organisations and in 2002, she completed her PhD research about families’ experiences, at the University of Brighton and Great Ormond Street, London. She has recently completed a Social Return on Investment analysis of the Insiders’ Guide course which shows high levels of wider social impact for families and organisations.
Most interested: Parent carers, practitioners, those involved in supporting parent carers and families, people who like popcorn.
This session took place on Friday 13 September 2013.
The Resilience Forum is for ANYBODY (with a pulse!) involved with or interested in resilience research!
