Angie Hart Academic Professor of Child, Family and Community
Health -Child and Family Psychotherapist (National Health Service,
working with schools and families) -Adoptive parent of three
children with complex needs
Slide 2
Slide 3
Slide 4
CAPABILITY AND RESILIENCE: BEATING THE ODDS FIGURE 1:
IDENTIFICATION OF RESILIENCE Outcome Adversity LowHigh Positive
Negative A.Favourable experience of life B. Resilience: Unexpected
positive outcome C.Unexpected negative outcome D. Risk and
vulnerability (reference and downloadable copy:
www.ucl.ac.uk/capabilityandresilience. Capability and Resilience:
Beating the Odds Edited by Professor Mel Bartley, published by UCL
Dept Epidemiology and Public Health on behalf of the ESRC Priority
Network on Capability and Resilience
(2003-2007).www.ucl.ac.uk/capabilityandresilience Professor Angie
Hart
Slide 5
protective processes that are advantageous to those
experiencing risk, but that have no influence on those in low-risk
environments; promotive or compensatory processes that have an
equally beneficial effect on children in both low- and high-risk
environments; and a challenge model of resilience where the benefit
of the process is dependent on the level of risk exposure (Ungar,
2011, p.2).
Slide 6
Slide 7
Slide 8
Slide 9
Believe in the almost impossible Professor Angie Hart
Slide 10
Resilient approaches: The kinds of things we need to make
happen (e.g. events, parenting strategies, relationships,
resources) to help children manage life when its tough. Plus ways
of thinking and acting that we need ourselves if we want to make
things better for children. (Aumann and Hart)
Slide 11
Professor Angie Hart Adequate provision of health resources
necessary to achieve good outcomes in spite of serious threats to
adaptation or development. Source: Ungar 2005b: 429
Slide 12
Resilience is an emergent property of a hierarchically
organized set of protective systems that cumulatively buffer the
effects of adversity and can therefore rarely, if ever, be regarded
as an intrinsic property of individuals. Source: Roisman, Padrn et
al. 2002: 1216 'Resilience does not constitute an individual trait
or characteristicResilience involves a range of processes that
bring together quite diverse mechanisms' Source: Rutter 1999:
135
Slide 13
Parents, carers and everyone in day-to-day contact with
children and young people need a better understanding of child
development, the causes of mental health problems and things they
can do themselves to build resilience and deal with issues as they
emerge, whatever age their child. Source: CAMHS Review 2008
Slide 14
Professor Angie Hart
Slide 15
Strands of Resilience Research Individual attributes Social
factors Processes and mechanisms Cultural context Children &
young people Adults (Reich et al 2010) Communities Resilient
practices (Aumann & Hart 2009)
Slide 16
Daud, Refugee children from Iraq. Some children who had a
traumatised parent did as well as some of those who didnt.
WHY?
Slide 17
The risk factors and their consequences are widely known and
routinely used in describing both research and programs...The sad
truth is that far more is invested in research to understand the
consequences of risk factors for young children and parents than in
designing, testing, and taking to scale interventions that might
change the all too predictable negative trajectories. Source:
(Knitzer & Cohen 2007, p.358). The risk factors and their
consequences are widely known and routinely used in describing both
research and programs...The sad truth is that far more is invested
in research to understand the consequences of risk factors for
young children and parents than in designing, testing, and taking
to scale interventions that might change the all too predictable
negative trajectories. Source: (Knitzer & Cohen 2007,
p.358).
Slide 18
Resilient Therapy (RT) (Hart & Blincow 2007) RT
strategically harnesses selected therapeutic principles and
techniques Originally developed in relation to children, families
and young people Now exploring relevance beyond that (adults
communities) Developed for use across contexts and by different
practitioners, including parents and young people themselves
Designed to work in people) as co-collaborators in the development
of the methodology rather than as recipients Is user-friendly and
readily accessible you dont need a lengthy specialised training
Non-pathologising upbuilding
Slide 19
Examples of projects and activities that have explicitly taken
a theoretically robust resilience approach (focusing on individuals
or communities) Various ones weve done Empower children (early
years) The Army and various Schools ones Carnegies Exploring
Community Resilience Treatment foster care British Red Cross
(http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/video/r/vide
o_tcm4712128.asp)http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/video/r/vide
o_tcm4712128.asp Outdoor education courses and gardening
Slide 20
Professor Angie Hart
Slide 21
Ten steps to applying Resilient Therapy Get familiar with the
RT framework (Basics, Belonging, Learning, Coping, Core Self). Have
it to hand. Remember the noble truths (Accepting, Conserving,
Commitment, Enlisting). Use the framework to map out where the
young person is at. Does one or other potion bottle shout out at
you? Pick your priorities to make the most resilient moves (whats
most urgent, whats most doable, quick wins, what youre up for, what
the child/family wants, what the child/family can most easily
manage, time available). Come back to the noble truths. How can
they help you here? Make your resilient moves. Check out with them,
and yourself. How well did it go? What have I learnt for another
time?
Slide 22
Slide 23
Raising aspirations for young people in care: A
resilience-based approach Builds up and draws upon the expertise of
12 diverse young people Explores the mechanisms that contribute to
raising young peoples aspirations and to doing well. Explores how
the young people want to communicate the findings to professionals,
carers and the community. Builds the capacity of the young people
Adopts a youth participatory action research approach (YPAR)
Enables YP to identify the problems they want to improve in this
area, to further understand the nature of the issues and finally
supporting them to advocate for actions to facilitate change.
(London, Zimmerman, & Erbstein, 2003).
Slide 24
Bouncing Back communities of practice... Parents,
Practitioners, Academics, Policy Makers Combining
knowledge/experience to improve wellbeing Exploring how the
resilience research base and RT can link with their existing work
Eager to critique and develop resilience-based practice further
Inter disciplinary, cross agency Collaborating for mutual benefit
Facilitated monthly 3 hour meeting over a year Evaluating the
processes and outcomes
Slide 25
Two positive adult roles model Three worthy hobbies Doing good
for two people, at least once a week Steer towards positive kids
Autobiographical narrative find two positives Point out meaning and
joy in three small things Keep their future in mind and help them
to, too Tackle inequalities in their life Benevolent boot camp
Attend to your own resilience If at first you dont succeed, try
again later Two positive adult roles model Three worthy hobbies
Doing good for two people, at least once a week Steer towards
positive kids Autobiographical narrative find two positives Point
out meaning and joy in three small things Keep their future in mind
and help them to, too Tackle inequalities in their life Benevolent
boot camp Attend to your own resilience If at first you dont
succeed, try again later
Slide 26
Slide 27
Slide 28
Slide 29
Slide 30
Some kids do better than others having had very similar
disadvantages in life one thing that you do could make a big
difference Resilience gives us a framework within which to plan
positive chain reactions and to fight back from negative chain
reactions For young people doing risky things it is especially
helpful to get some protective processes going We need to focus on
the fine grain management of effective detail Use the resilience
evidence base to challenge custom and practice in policy and
organisations There is hope for everybody! Every little can help.
Professor Angie Hart
Slide 31
In response to practitioners and parents.. Lit review of
resilience-based interventions for 14 pluses (realist review)
Massive field Very little for disabled young people Hardly anything
properly participatory Interventions and evaluation very costly
Mostly focus on a specific area, not ecological Some confirmation
that certain activities (e.g problem solving are worthwhile)
Slide 32
www.cupp.org.uk
Slide 33
Further reading Hart, A. and Blincow, D. with Thomas, H. (2007)
Resilient Therapy: Working with children and families. London:
Routledge Aumann, K. and Hart, A. (2009) Helping children with
complex needs bounce back: Resilient Therapy for parents and
professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Tedex talk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPUzjyAoOK4 Email:
[email protected] /[email protected] Website:
www.boingboing.org.ukwww.boingboing.org.uk Professor Angie
Hart