Program description

Modern approaches to understanding the development of endangered children use the cumulative model of risk factors (e.g. Zeanah & Sonuga-Barke, 2016). Factors such as biological predisposition, family environment, cultural, community and societal factors work together to influence a child's functioning and adaptation. The aim of the program which consists of several courses is to provide information and to expand observational skills on the socio-emotional development of children. Participation in the workshops and seminars is designed to develop understanding and improve skills in observing and reflecting on vulnerable and traumatized children. These seminars and workshops can be useful for young and experienced professionals: the increasing their knowledge and skills help to work with cultural and/or trauma-related context. For specialists working only with adults, the knowledge and practice on child observation can give the representation how some disturbances develop..

Applying attachment theory to the treatment of children and their caregivers

Introductory course

The concept of attachment, in its theoretical conclusions and empirical studies, shed light on various forms of adaptation of children and adults to the social systems in which they live. This opens up a wide field for understanding the nature of disturbances in children's self-regulation, behaviour and development. This course will allow participants to reflect on the influence of attachment relationships on the features of the treatment of families. The content of the course will be illustrated by unique authors materials which help to meet with observational principles and interpretation of child’s development, communication and play.

Course content:

Development of attachment in infancy and childhood
Principles of child observation
Attachment strategy and specific of children's play, emotional regulation and development
Identifying family needs and predicting changes during treatment
Challenges in working with the child and his/her caregivers: lack of positive dynamics in treatment, support and education of caregivers doesn't help.

Types of work: mini-lectures, observation, group discussions

Course duration: 8 hours

Personality development and adaptation in the system of social relations

The aim of the course is to provide information about the social development of well-reared and endangered children who have been or who currently are experiencing physically and psychologically threatening situations. The information about modern research which were conducted in the field of child mental health and evidence based early intervention practice will also be presented. The course is taught on the basis of child-caregiver interaction procedures and Strange Situation Procedure video clips and transcripts of Adult Attachemnt Interview.

Course content:

Social and emotional development during infancy and early and preschool childhood
Development of attachment during childhood
Caregivers’ childhood experience and its influence on parenting
Main principles of the early intervention with at-risk families

Benefits:

Participants will develop their observational skills of child-caregiver interaction with the help of video clips, e.g., they learn to discern and to identify the signs of problems and disturbances in child-caregiver interaction and attachment relationships

Participants will learn to recognize and analyze causes of behavioral problems of, in particular, endangered children and the risks combined with unresponsive, rejecting, controlling and abusive parental reactions
Participants will learn to apply the theoretical framework to analyze and deal with problems in attachment relationships.

Types of work: mini-lectures, observation, group discussions

Course duration: Seminar 1: Infancy and toddlerhood (16 hours)

Seminar 2: Preschool years (16 hours)

Seminar 3: Adulthood (24 hours)

Psychological functioning and adaptation among neglected and maltreated children: assessment and intervention

Many children experience the rejection of their needs as well as maltreatment in their families. In some cases, the neglect may be obvious, but in other cases it may be hidden, but it does have an impact on psychological functioning. When the child's normal needs and behaviour touches internal parental conflicts and defensive behaviour is activated, the emotional availability and engagement of caregivers is reduced. This course presents theoretical foundations, research findings and clinical illustrations (video clips) of the emotional, behavioural and adaptive characteristics of neglected and abused children. The main lines of intervention for children and families will also be considered.

Course content:

Characteristics of emotional state and behaviour of children living in predictable and unpredictable rejection by caregivers
Hidden forms of rejection: children from non-at-risk families show disturbances typical of children from at-risk groups
Psychological causes of insensitive parenting
Mental health values contradict the cultural and community traditions of families: neglect and maltreatment are not recognized by these families as inappropriate for children's development.
Difficulties for professionals in intervening with families: classical methods of support and parent education don't work; paradoxical response to intervention occurs - emotional state of a child/caregiver worsens in response to supportive types of intervention.

Types of work: mini-lectures, observation, group discussions

Course duration: 16 hours (can be continued if necessary)

Children with an institutionalized experience: outcomes and opportunities to change

For a variety of reasons, some children have the experience of living in different institutions such as: orphanages, children's homes, and villages, etc. Research says that there are serious consequences for children who grow up in highly depressive institutional environments. The information which describes the successful experience of implementing changes to the system of orphanages institutions in the circumstances of limited resources (financial, professional and time).

This course can be useful not only to staff of children's institutions, but also to professionals working with families at-risk. The practical application of these knowledge is the focus of the course. The unique video material used in the course will help to learn the content of the course.

The peculiarities of the orphanage system and the development of the children before the changes
The aim of changing the orphanage system and the main elements of the intervention
Basic results of implementing the changes regarding child welfare

Types of work: mini-lectures, observation, group discussions

Course duration: 8 hours

Additional courses

Attachment relationships among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

According to child’s development approaches in the context of the relationship with caregivers (Ainsworth et al. 1978; Stern 1985; Belsky 2005), the children behavior, including their behavioral difficulties, are related to certain aspects of mother-child, or caregiver-child, relationships. Past studies showed that typically developing children display less emotional and behavioral difficulties, have more successful social and psychological functioning as well as cognitive development if their parents display high sensitivity to child’s signals and satisfy their need to feel secure. For children with developmental disorders due to medical or genetic factors, the presence of a stable and responsive environment might reduce the severity of developmental difficulties, maladjustment, and behavioral issues. The aim of the course is to provide the information about the features of attachment relationships among preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder which will be illustrated by author’s research video materials.

Types of work: mini-lectures, observation, group discussions

Course duration: 8 hours

Feature of support for Russian Speaking Communities

In every culture and society, there are certain features of how relationships are formed, emotions are regulated and children are brought up. Some issues that are appropriate in one society may be inadequate and recognized as dangerous in another. It could be said that cultural specifics help to survive and adapt to the context, but may be at a conflict with the values of mental health and well-being. Russian-speaking communities mostly include the people from post-Soviet countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and others) and have some characteristics of parenting. Physical punishment, difficulties in setting limits, unpredictability in relationships with children, exaggeration of emotions can be described as typical for these communities. These characteristics of parenting and their adaptive functions will be considered in the course. Difficulties for professionals in working with these families and ways of resolving them will be discussed during the course. The content of the course will be illustrated by the authors' clinical materials.

Types of work: mini-lectures, observation, group discussions

Course duration: 16 hours