The child wise programme: a course to enhance the self-confidence and behaviour management skills of foster carers with challenging children.

Extract

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The child wise programme: a course to enhance the self-confidence and behaviour management skills of foster carers with challenging children.

Introduction

Looked after children traumatised in early life are at risk of developing psychological disorders, among them psychiatric problems (eg anxiety, depression), developmental disorders (eg attention deficit hyperactivity, learning difficulties), conduct problems (eg oppositional defiant disorders, delinquent activity), physically abusive behaviour (eg bullying) and inappropriate sexual activity (eg abuse of younger children) (Keane, 1983; McCann et al, 1996; Wilson and Dunn, 1996; Minnis et al, 2001; Herbert, 2003).

Despite impressive resources of patience and tolerance, and a repertoire of usually effective disciplinary skills, foster carers often experience a sense of helplessness when confronted by the extremes of challenging behaviour that so often accompany these disorders. Some admit to a loss of self-esteem and a sense of shame for the rejection and hostility they feel towards a child they should 'care for'.

Hilton Davis and his colleagues (2002) make the point that:

... parenting is a demanding, full-time job where there is rarely explicit preparation for the task, and opinions on how to do it are as numerous as the people involved [...]

A lack of immediate, direct and unambiguous feedback on one's performance as a parent makes it all the more difficult to know what is appropriate and effective. (p 2)

Nowhere is this more pertinent than in managing children who are oppositional and defiant. When their social training (socialisation) falters or fails, the antisocial behaviour that so often follows is demoralising to caregivers and teachers, and places costly demands on social, educational, health and judicial services (Herbert, 1987, 2005; Sutton, Utting and Farrington, 2004).

The prevention and remediation of these behaviour problems are crucial, not only because of the disruption and worry they cause carers, but also because of their part in precipitating the unplanned breakdown of placements (Dozier et al, 2002). The u...

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