Program run more than 50 times over 5 years FEELING · Feeling is Thinkingprovides these children with a numberofmore appropriate,positive strategies to deal with conflict,and allows

Program run more than 50 times over 5 years

THE CGP –WINNER OF A GOLDMENTAL HEALTHSERVICE (TheMHS)AWARD 2002

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000

\\IS THINKING

Community Group Program

FEELING

ERC 032850

FisT©RCH MHS 2000

FisT manual written by Tara Pavlidis and Wendy Bunston, RCH Mental Health Service.

Contributors to the development of the FisTprogram include (alphabetically):

Cathy Alderson (Travancore School)Wendy Bunston (RCH MHS)Toula Filiadis (RCH MHS)Kath Harper (Travancore School)Paul Leyden (RCH MHS)Tara Pavlidis (RCH MHS)Deidre Tranter (RCH MHS)

‘Standing Up to the Stand OverWoman’ written by Tara Pavlidis and illustrated by Vic.

The Community Group Program (CGP) would like to express special thanks to Daniella Tarle and Tony Purdon, and to acknowledge theparticipants and their families, co-facilitators andschool staff for their participation, involvement andsupport of the program. Many thanks to SandyCahir for her editing skills. Also a special thankyougoes to all the children who participated in ourdrawing competition, and those who have givenpermission, in particularVic and Aaron, for theirpictures to be used in the manual and for otherprofessional purposes.

FisT©RCH MHS 2000 Feeling is Thinking ManualCommunity Group Program Published by RoyalChildren’s Hospital Mental Health Service &Travancore School, April 2004.

ISBN 0-9578815-7-6©Copyright Royal Children’s Hospital Mental HealthService 2000

The Royal Children’s Hospital Mental HealthService welcomes use of this publication withinthe constraints of the copyright Act, 1968.Provided acknowledgement is made to thesource, school personnel within schoolcommunities are permitted to copy material freely for the purpose of training in schools,or for communication with parents in schoolcommunities. It should be noted that thesematerials are part of a professional developmentpackage, and may be adapted foruse within schools.

Requests and inquiries for reproduction outside school communities may be directed in writing to The Manager, Community Group Program,Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Service50 Flemington Street, Flemington,Victoria 3031.

All information and data (including graphics) is provided by the Royal Children’s HospitalMental Health Service (RCH MHS) and unlessotherwise noted is copyright of the RoyalChildren’s Hospital Mental Health Service (RCH MHS).

Unlimited distribution of Appendix A, B & Cmaterial is permitted, if textual and graphiccontent is not altered and the source is acknowledged.

© Copyright 2000

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



INTRODUCTION 1Evaluation 2Before starting the FisT program 3

SECTION 1 OUR PHILOSOPHY 5Putting the GRO into group work 5Growthful Relational Opportunities (GRO) 5Principles of GROwth enhancing practices in group work 6Aims 8Key objectives 8Recommended target group 8Themes covered in the program 8Structure and format 9Facilitation 9Selection process for group participation 9Feedback sessions 9A word of caution: Responding to violence within the home 10

SECTION 2 PROGRAM SESSION OUTLINES 11Week 1: Getting to know one another 11Week 2: Exploring feelings 15Week 3: Strong emotions: how do they look? 17Week 4: What things make people angry? 19Week 5: Managing anger: telling it truthfully 21Week 6: Taking risks 23Week 7: Practising changes 25Week 8: Finishing up and saying goodbye 27

SECTION 3 APPENDICES 29SECTION 3.1 29Appendix A: FORMS 29Information for professionals and families 30Assessment / interview form 33Referral form 34General information form 35Goal sheet (optional) 36Group participant’s details (optional) 37Consent form 1 38Consumer satisfaction form 43Consent form 2 39

Guidelines to consent form 40Midway information session 43Post-evaluation session 44Feedback interview 45FisT certificate 46FisT sticker chart 47

CONTENTS

SECTION 3.2 49Appendix B: GAMES 491. Getting to know you balloon game 492. Feelings Charades 493. Angry Animals 49

4. Treasure Chest 49

5. Poison Ball 50

6. Scarecrow Tiggy 50

7. What’s the time Mr/Mrs/Ms Wolf? 50

8. Partners Ball Game 51

9. Name Game 51

10. Duck, Duck, Goose 51

11. Sharks & Islands 51

12. Footy Frenzy (Fruit Salad) 51

13. Silent Speed Ball 51

14. Ship Ahoy! 52

15. Dead Fish 52

16. Guess Which 52

17. Changes 52

SECTION 3.3 53Appendix C: WORKSHEETS 53

Week 1: Name the expression 54

Week 1: Feelings 55

Week 2: Where do you feel your anger? 56

Week 2: Feeling cards 57

Week 3: Facts about anger 58

Week 3: Handling anger 59

Week 4: Volcanic eruptions of feelings 60

Week 6: Scenario ideas for role-playing difficult situations 61

Week 7: Trying something new 62

Weekly reflection sheets 67

SECTION 4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 71What is violence 71

What does the word VIOLENCE mean? 72

Possible effects of domestic violence on children and young people 73

Recognising that living with domestic violence is a form of child abuse 74

What is anger? 75

Positive ways to manage your anger 76

Telling it truthfully (assertiveness for kids) 77

Bullying 78

References & further resources 80

Possible agency contacts Victoria and Australia wide 81

Progress notes/observations 82

Request for further information form 83

Menu of groups: CGP 84

INTRODUCTIONThe Community Group ProgramThe Community Group Program (CGP), developed in 1999, is the principal activity of a collaborative venture between the Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Service (RCH MHS), and the TravancoreSchool, a specialist Department of Education and Training (DE&T) facility. The CGP provides innovativemental health services for children, young people and their families residing in Melbourne’s western andnorth-western metropolitan regions - as designated by the Department of Human Services (DHS). TheTravancore School is co-located with RCH MHS at its Flemington campus.

The CGP model of service delivery enhances a broad partnership between the education and mentalhealth sectors, providing professional development for staff in both sectors to improve the mental healthservices for school-aged children and young people in Melbourne’s western and north-westernmetropolitan regions (see Diagram 1).

FisT©RCH MHS 2000 1

Diagram 1 SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL

RCH MHS CLINICALCASE MANAGERS

WRITTEN FINAL REPORTSPROVIDED BY CGP STAFF

GROUP WORK PROGRAMS

FEEDBACK TO FAMILIES POST GROUP & FURTHERREFERRAL(TO RCH MHS) OR OTHER LOCAL SERVICES AS REQUIRED

COMMUNITY GROUP PROGRAM INTAKE

ASSESSMENT

OUTCOMES OF EVALUATION INFORM PROGRAM DESIGN

REFERRERS DE&T & SSSOs*

*SSSOs: Student Support Service Officers

2 FisT©RCH MHS 2000

Specifically, the CGP aims to:

• increase access to clinically focussed specialist group work in community settings local to client needs

• build capacity for school and community workers to promote positive mental health and reduce riskfactors among children, young people and their families

• establish a partnership with mainstream schools in order to run mental health related group programscollaboratively in school communities

• provide direct skills-based training through our ‘Train the Trainer’ model (see References - Community Group Program 1999)

Feeling is ThinkingFisT, Feeling is Thinking, is a Community Group Program intervention facilitated by CGP staff in conjunctionwith school-based staff or Student Support Service Officers (SSSOs).

It is an eight-week group work program that focusses on working with children who experience difficultiesin their interpersonal relationships, and in expressing their strong feelings, in particular anger, sadness and frustration.

The children participating in the program often resort to violence as a way to handle and gain a sense of control over conflict situations, and are usually labelled by their school community, and especially theirpeers, as ‘bullies’. Once these aggressive behaviours are explored and unpacked, it is often identified thatthe children are very sad, frightened and lonely, and do not know how to handle difficult situations in morepositive ways.

Feeling is Thinking aims to assist these young children to begin to identify their anger triggers before they ‘explode,’ either outwardly towards their peers and others, or inwardly by engaging in self-harmingtypes of behaviours.

Feeling is Thinking provides these children with a number of more appropriate, positive strategies to deal with conflict, and allows them to practise using such strategies in a safe environment.

EvaluationFisT has been run by the CGP a total of 48 times since 2000 in school and mental health venues. Over the past five years the CGP has utilised a comprehensive array of evaluation measures to assess the effectiveness of our programs, including standardised pre- and post- questionnaires, consumersatisfaction surveys, focus groups and attitudinal and behaviour inventories. The results demonstrate that the children who are involved in our programs are an ‘at risk’ group who in general exhibit fewerbehavioural, emotional and psychological difficulties following their involvement with the CGP. Parents and teachers also experience fewer difficulties in their management of these children post program, andmost importantly these changes, as demonstrated in our first 6 month follow up (undertaken in 2003) are sustained.

Parents, teachers, principals, referrers and the children themselves report high levels of satisfaction withthe programs and report significant gains in self esteem, confidence, problem solving skills, self masteryand communication with others. Programs developed by the CGP create better connections betweenchildren and their families, families and schools, schools and mental health. This all contributes towardschildren and families creating better futures.

For further information regarding the CGP 5-year progress and evaluation report (1999–2003) contactthe Community Group Program (see page 83 for details).

Before starting the FisT Program:Please realise that this manual has been written as a guide, therefore it is not essential to follow it strictly to be useful. The manual is a collection of ideas from a number of FisT groups run since theprogram’s development. Not all ideas will suit all groups, and some will derive most benefit from using the manual as a reference. A number of additional games and optional worksheets/handouts are availableif required. The actual running of the group will need to be flexible and designed to meet the needs ofparticipants. For example some groups might enjoy worksheets, while others may learn better throughdiscussion sessions.

It is strongly recommended that if the format is not working, do not persist, rather create new ideas. It is up to you as the facilitator to judge what is working and what is not. We have often resorted to playingmore games if a group is becoming restless and unfocussed. Participants seem to gain more from thisthan trying to force them to stay on task. Therefore, use the ideas in the manual as creatively as you can,and feel free to find the activities most suitable for your participants.

It has also been found that many children benefit from the support and ideas they develop in the group, however once out of the group environment the children have difficulty remembering to use suchstrategies. Thus an important component of the facilitator’s role is to help children to make thelinks between the group environment and other situations in their lives, i.e. the classroom,playground, home and other social situations.


Putting the GRO into group work (taken from Bunston, Pavlidis & Leyden 2003 – see References)

Group work emulates life. Every day individuals move through a myriad of groups, including family, peers,school, work, sports teams and social clubs. Each encounter with another individual in normal everydayactivities, such as waiting in a queue to order food, involves a complex set of social skills and negotiatingyour behaviour, in response to, or in spite of, others. Learning about the ‘other’ starts with learning aboutthe self, and learning about the self is derived through our relationships with others (Crapuchettes 1997).

With this in mind, the Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Service and Travancore School Community Group Program aims to create ‘growthful’ therapeutic encounters for the children, youngpeople and adults who participate in the program. What each individual brings to, and takes from a group, is unique. An individual’s personality adds a distinct ingredient to the particular flavour of the group. Add or subtract one particular ingredient, and the flavour can change dramatically. Attempt to define andarticulate an individual’s journeys within the collective experience of group work, and you are reminded of the limitations of spoken language. Group work is extremely complex, often exhausting, and frequentlyundervalued, but it offers exhilarating opportunities for growth and reparation.

Community Group Programs operate across a school term, and incorporate programs that examine such complex and sensitive issues as homophobia, power and control in relationships, school refusal andfamily violence. Groups on anger management, making and keeping friends, and building self-esteem arealso available.

Co-facilitation opportunities for teachers and welfare staff are available through the CGP. This offers ‘Train the Trainer’ opportunities enabling school staff to continue service delivery at the conclusion of thegroup program. This complements the overall collaborative and relationship building ethos of the CGPgenerally. In addition, these partnerships convey a powerful message about building connections withothers. If we expect children and young people to be able to do this, then why not expect it of ourselves.

Growthful Relational Opportunities (GRO)CGP operates from an assumption that group work can offer children and young people a powerfultherapeutic arena in which to explore and experiment with a range of different situations that mirror thedelicate and often difficult dynamics that operate within families and other intimate relationships. As one’simage of self is more often than not derived from the reflection we see in the eyes of others, group worktherapy can offer a very creative, intensive and personally exciting way of enhancing and strengtheningone’s sense of self. Enabling children and young people to have Growthful Relational Opportunities (GRO),is what we believe group work is all about.

Group work with children and young people demands attending to additional phenomena not apparentin individual work, and an energy level ready to match those of the many, excitable, and ‘ready to rock’young participants. No matter what the purpose, style or format of a group, the intention is to link childrenand young people into a process that enhances their self-esteem while creating a space for them toconstructively and safely manage and express their thoughts and emotions. Devising programs thatmeet kids ‘where they are at’, allows an experience of being emotionally ‘held’ and ‘heard’ (James 1984;Winnicott 1971). These are the types of relational experiences that encourage growth tendencies.Irrespective of the type or format of the group on offer, we believe that encompassing certain key principles promotes growth.


SECTION 1

REGARDING GROUP WORK

OUR PHILOSOPHY


*Supervision: a safe, professional space in which to consult with another professional/s in relation to direct counselling/therapy/group work practice. Ideally a supervisor in the group work programs should have considerable experience and/ortraining in group work processes and childhood development. The supervisor provides a consistent, reflective and interactivearena for the group leaders to make sense of what has occurred in the context of the group dynamics and to assist in untanglingthe multiple levels of meaning and emotions that the group provokes for the participants as well as the leaders.

**Group Supervision: this is a therapeutic concept and refers to the interactional dynamics/patterns (both conscious andunconscious) that play themselves out in the group setting – it focuses on how participants think and act, rather than what theythink and ‘act out’ about.

Principles of GROwth enhancing practices in group workThe key principles include: creating safety; commitment to supervision; use of self and others; attunement to process; keeping the individual ‘in mind’ within the group; recognising the importance of play; and working collaboratively (see Diagram 2).

Creating safety promotes growth. When a child or young person feels safe, he or she can start to move forward. Emotional, physical, social and spiritual safety allows the self to be seen, respected and celebrated. Undertaking prior assessment sessions that are up-front, honest and transparent,gives participants an opportunity to find out what the group is about, what is expected of them,and most importantly, a chance to check out the facilitator (Sklare, Keener & Mas 1990). Assessmentsessions can be seen as a cornerstone from which the emotional field/culture of the group is created.Further, emotional wellbeing is gained from modelling good relationships between co-facilitators working with the group.

When teachers and welfare staff undertake co-facilitation opportunities they are making a commitmentto learning and seeking support through regular professional group work supervision* that enables thefacilitator to broaden his/her knowledge base and to extend skills. Part of this learning process is to workcollaboratively, and to trust in the professional skills of the co-facilitator.

Further growth for the facilitator is achieved by remaining aware, within the group process of, not onlyothers, but the self. Preparedness to reflect on ‘what we do’ and ‘why we do’ leads to a robust and growthenhancing approach to group work that has the potential to offer participants transformative experiences.

Complementing and consolidating the ‘use of self and others’, is ‘attunement to process’. Maintaining the balance between leading a group and being led by the group is a skill necessary to steer a successfulcourse through the group process.** This involves understanding the nature of the group, and learning tohear what the group is saying beyond the spoken word.

Keeping the individual ‘in mind’ within the group is an important feature of the facilitator’s role. Respect forone’s individuality, and how the individual is regarded within a group setting, shape sense of self in relationto others. Identifying something unique in each participant can assist with keeping the individual ‘in mind’.

In the group process it is important to recognise the role of play for its explorative, creative and restorativeproperties for children, young people and adults. It can be a safe place within which to ‘test the waters’ ofthe group, and a joyful way of connecting with the self and others.

These guiding principles, closely interwoven within the group process, are fundamental to the success of a range of group experiences within the Community Group Program.


Diagram 2

EMO

TIONAL

FIELD OF THEGROUP

© W. Bunston 2003


Aims

• to create a safe environment for children to understand, express and manage their strong feelings

• to provide children with the opportunity to develop skills that will allow them to establish and maintainpositive interpersonal relationships

• to assist children to develop healthy ways to resolve conflict

• to enhance children’s self esteem

• to establish support networks within the child’s school and family to maintain and practise concepts utilised in the group

• to encourage children to begin to take responsibility for their own behaviour

• to encourage children to begin to understand how their behaviour impacts on others

Key objectives

• for children to understand and explore the origins of their strong feelings

• for children to feel more confident to express their feelings positively

• to increase childrens’ assertive behaviours and problem solving skills

• to assist children to improve their social skills and relationships with others

• for children to become familiar with a range of different feelings and emotions

• to provide feedback, information and strategies to families and school staff regarding children participating in the program

• to actively engage the children’s family and school in supporting and extending the positive skills and strategies developed through their participation in FisT

Recommended target groupThis program has been identified as being most suitable for those children aged between 8–11 years who are experiencing problems in expressing their strong feelings, and who have difficulties in theirinterpersonal relationships.

The program suggests a limit of six (minimum) to eight (maximum) participants, with issues of genderbeing considered when establishing the group, i.e. facilitators should strive for a 50/50 gender mix,or may choose a same sex group, etc.

Note: It has been observed that the following age groups work together particularly well: 8–9 year olds, 10–11 year olds

Themes covered in the program

FEELING IS THINKING

• Getting to know one another (getting to know the group)

• Exploring feelings

• Strong emotions: What do they look like?

• What things make people angry

• Managing anger: telling it truthfully

• Taking risks

• Practising changes

• Finishing up and saying goodbye

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Structure and formatFeeling is Thinking is an eight-week program with weekly sessions of 1.5 hours in duration.

Each session follows a similar format:

Facilitation

The program has been facilitated by staff members from the Community Group Program in conjunctionwith school based staff or Student Support Service Officers (SSSOs). The program requires the samefacilitators for the duration of the program. Two facilitators as a minimum are recommended, and no morethan three if you want to include a student teacher or student social worker etc.

Note: From previous experience the facilitation of the program is most successful when facilitated by a staff member trained in the program, and has experience, or a keen interest in student welfare issues.

Selection process for group participationPrior to commencement of the group, facilitators conduct an interview with the parents and children who have been referred to Feeling is Thinking. This is to determine the suitability of the program to addressthe needs of the child, family school or other supporting services, etc.

A number of evaluation tools can be completed pre and post the group program. These include a parentconsent form, a general information form (see Appendix A), and a behavioural checklist – a ‘strengths anddifficulties questionnaire’ (see References) that is completed by parents and teachers). Children have alsobeen required to complete pre and post ‘self esteem questionnaires’ (see References – Coopersmith 1989).

School staff involved in facilitating the program may choose to ring the families of the children they wish to refer to the group. This provides an opportunity to discuss the group prior to making an interview time.Some families like to hear directly from school staff the reason their child has been chosen etc.

Feedback sessionsFeedback sessions should be offered to parents/carers of children participating in the group. These ideally occur at the mid-way point and again at the conclusion of the program.

The mid-way session is intended to provide parents/carers with further information about the contentof the group and to show some of the children’s work produced during the sessions.

The final feedback is intended to inform parents/carers about their child’s participation in the group,their achievements, and areas needing further work from the child and family. This is a two-way processwhereby the family and child (if present) also have the opportunity to give feedback to facilitators.

It is during this final feedback session that the post evaluation material is completed where appropriate. This includes the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (see References), and a Consumer Satisfactionform (see Appendix A for a sample form).

Feedback sessions are also offered to teachers or other service providers, i.e. case managers etc.,of children involved in the program (upon request). To assist with this process, the use of progress notes are strongly encouraged (see page 82).

Again classroom teachers are required to complete the POST Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire for participants in the program (see References).

• Introduce new theme

• Review previous week

• Warm-up activity – focussing on different types of feelings

• Related activities

• Game

• Reflection time

• Stickers and feedback


Note: Professional development sessions by the CGP can be made available to school staff, not alreadytrained in the program. This session focuses on introducing the concepts of Feeling is Thinking into thewider school community. The format of this session generally covers the themes explored during eachsession, and may focus on one or two specific activities, (contact CGP for further details).

A word of caution: responding to violence within the homeFacilitators need to be mindful of the possibility that some children in the group may engage in violentbehaviours as a direct result of violent behaviours being modelled at home by other family members,i.e. family violence. It is important for the facilitators to name these kinds of behaviours as inappropriate.

It is also important to be careful not to ‘set up’ a child by suggesting that the child use assertive behavioursas a way of dealing with the violence they are experiencing. This could place them in a dangerous positionat home. In fact where a child is living in a culture of family violence they may already have a number ofsophisticated and effective coping mechanisms in place. Whilst these mechanisms are often inappropriateto non-violent settings and surroundings, they have been developed out of sheer necessity to survive.

It would be wrong for facilitators to strip these away. Should instances of family violence become known tothe facilitators, they are bound legally, morally and clinically as mandated workers (within Victoria, Australia)to make a notification to child protection services.

It is vital that a thorough assessment is conducted before the child is accepted into the group. Thisinformation can be obtained from assessments/reports from other professionals, such as mental healthworkers, paediatricians, or school staff who know the child and family. It is also important to ask questionsduring the interview process about violence. Not only is it useful to gain an understanding, both from thechild themselves and the family member present, about the child’s aggressive behaviour and how itmanifests, but also to ask questions about who else in the family utilises aggressive types of behaviours.

A thorough assessment will assist in ensuring that Feeling is Thinking is the most appropriate program forthe child, over and above an alternative program designed specifically for children who have been exposedto family violence, (for example the CGP’s Parents Accepting Responsibility Kids Are Safe–PARKAS Program,see Section 4 Menu of CGP Programs or see references, Bunston 2003).

As the nature of family violence is often secretive however, it may not become known until later in the running of the group, that a participant lives in a family where there is violence, or may not becomeknown at all.

Irrespective of this, from the outset facilitators need to explain mandatory reporting to the family and the child. They need to understand the requirement of reporting any information the child discloses aboutfamily violence whilst in the group, or indeed, should such information become known from othersources.Whilst family violence is a difficult area to work with, it is important as professionals that we do not shyaway from, or ignore family violence. We can make a positive difference in the lives of children byacknowledging and responding to circumstances in which they are not safe.

It is also useful to let the family member know that should they wish to access counselling for any family members, facilitators can assist them in this process.

Note: For a definition of what we believe constitutes violence, and the impact that violence can have onchildren and young people, please refer to Appendix C.


Week 1: Getting to know one another

WE

EK

1

PROGRAM SESSION OUTLINES

SECTION 2

1. Introduction to program (5 minutes)Facilitators begin by welcoming participants to the group and telling them a little about Feeling is Thinking.Revisit the aims of the group, as discussed in their initial interview, and reinforce that part of the purposeof the group is to explore and understand what feelings there are, and to learn new ways of expressingfeelings appropriately.

Remind participants of times and venue, and that the group will run for the next 8 weeks. Each session will run for about 1.5 hours.

Inform participants that our aim is to get to know each other, and to learn new ways of talking aboutfeelings. Most importantly our aim is to make sure that we all have fun and feel safe in the group.

It is important to raise issues of confidentiality. This means what is discussed in the session remains in the session, although participants are encouraged to talk to their family (without using identifyinginformation about other participants within the group) about what they do in the group, if they would like to do so. Limited confidentiality refers to disclosures children may make, which indicates that eitherthemselves or others in their family may be at risk or harm. In these instances it may be necessary forfacilitators to act on this information outside of the group and the participant and their family need to bemade aware of this. Participants should be made aware of circumstances relating to limited confidentialityat the very beginning of the group.

Note: Children need to feel both physically and emotionally safe whilst in the group as they are required to talk about themselves and their behaviour. Facilitators need to provide an environment in the group inwhich children can feel as comfortable as possible while sharing with others the parts of themselves thatare not always seen as positive by themselves and other people in their lives. We know that allowing thechildren to take responsibility, or ownership, for some of the group process, by creating their own grouprules, often helps them to feel safe. Positive modeling by facilitators of respectful relationships, and mostimportantly allowing children to have fun in a safe environment, using lots of positive humour, alsocontributes to their sense of safety.

Specific aims:• to explain to children the

purpose of the program

• to create opportunities forparticipants to get to knowone another

• to establish some individualgoals for participants

• to establish rules and theirconsequences for the group

• to explain and discuss issuesof limited confidentiality

Materials:• Name tags

• Balloons (2 balloons ofeach colour are required for work in pairs)

• String

• Music & recorder

• Butcher’s paper, blu-tac/drawing pins, pens, textas,rulers, pencils etc.

• ‘Name the expression’worksheet*

• ‘Feelings’ worksheet*

• Week I reflection sheet*

• Stickers and stickercharts**

• Soft, medium size ball(Poison ball**)

• Lolly jar (optional) - fill a small jar full of lollies.Positive behaviour is rewardedwith a guess of the number oflollies in the jar each week, with a view to the correct guesswinning the jar at the end of thegroup. To encourage sharing,however, facilitators ensure thatno-one actually wins the jar andthe lollies can be shared among all participants in the final session.

*See Appendix C**See Section 4


2. Warm up: ‘Getting to know you’ Balloon Game (10 minutes)

Facilitators ask each participant to:

• Blow up and tie off balloons

• Invite participants to form a large group and tell them that you are going to play some music. The balloons must be kept in the air and not hit the floor whilst they move around the room

• Participants are then asked to keep the balloons in the air, first using both arms, then one arm, andeventually no arms

• When the music stops, tell participants to form a pair with the person who has the same colour balloonas them

• The pairs then need to find three things that they have in common (for example, favourite foods, musicetc). These are the first stages in getting to know each other

• Participants are invited to return to the big group and to introduce their partner. They are encouraged to pass the information that was shared by that child onto the whole group

• Participants are then asked to draw a feeling on their balloon and show it to the group. The group is to guess the feelings drawn

• Optional – tie string to the balloons so that participants can keep them

3. Establishing group expectations and rules (10 minutes)

Ask for a few volunteers (making sure the participant willingly volunteers and is not made to feelembarrassed by their body) who will lie on a large piece of butcher’s paper and have a part of theirbody traced (i.e. one child’s head, another child’s hand etc, until forming a full body image, inside which participants are asked to come up with the rules they wouldlike to be applied to the group).

This activity is designed to encourage individual participants to start thinking of themselves as part of a group.

These are recorded inside the body image and become the group rules, which are to be pinned up each session and referredto as needed.

Strategies and consequences are also discussed if someone ishaving difficulty being part of the group. These are outlined asfollows:

1. Reminder about the group rules

2. Second reminder

3. Decision to work together to help the person having difficulty with rule

4. ‘Time out’ inside the room

5. Time out of the room with a facilitator

It is sometimes useful to include a list of outcomes for positive behaviours, for example:

1. Congratulations

2. Choose your own sticker

3. Guess of the lolly jar

4. Phone call or note home to tell parents about positive behaviour

Questions to ask the group include:

What helps a group work?

What is not helpful in a group?

What don’t you want to see happen in the group?

Note: As an option only, facilitators might ask the children to sign the list as a contract. If facilitators ask participants to do this, they should also sign the contract. This can be a way of letting participantsknow that they are also expected to follow the group rules. Facilitator’s should only do this if they feelcomfortable working this way.

It is important that all of the facilitators play a role in managing consequences when required so thatchildren are witness to the modelling of a positive, cohesive working relationship. This means that allfacilitators must be prepared to follow through with consequences so that children are unable to create a ‘split’ between the facilitators.

Facilitators need to be aware that some children often find the group process difficult to manage, thereforeother strategies have been used to help these children to achieve a positive experience from the group.Some of these strategies have included, using a positive behaviour checklist for individual children, andgiving ticks for trying hard to participate etc. Having a facilitator who may have begun to develop apositive relationship with the child gives extra support to that particular child (this may become their solerole in the remaining sessions). There have also been times when the main content of the group has beenre-jigged or even discarded and replaced by a more enjoyable game or activity.

Many children suffer from low self-esteem which is manifested through their aggressive behaviour; it can often be more beneficial at times to simply ‘support’ these children through the group, giving them a positive experience of group work, rather than a sense of failure for not fitting in or being removed fromthe group context. If the child has a positive experience of the group, regardless of how much of thecontent they have learnt, they may be willing to engage with other interventions in the future and thesuccessful completion of this group could be a springboard for other successes in interacting with others.

4. What are feelings? (30 minutes)

A group brainstorm to name the widest range of feelings the participants can think of provides thefacilitators with an insight into how the group understands the concept of ‘feelings’. These feelings are to be written around the outside of the body outline.

This activity is simply for facilitators to gain insight into the range of feelings that the participants already know. Facilitatorshelp participants to make the connections between the feelingsthey experience and what caused the feelings in the followingsessions. It is useful to bring this back each week and to add new feelings if required. It also enables participants to check outtheir own, and others understanding of what different ‘feeling’words mean.

5. ‘Name the expression’ worksheet (10 minutes)

Participants are given a worksheet of faces that are missingvarious details. Half of the faces on the worksheet express arange of feelings. Participants are required to identify and writedown the feeling. The remaining faces are empty, but a word below each face describes a feeling. Participants are required to draw the named feeling, (see Appendix C).

6. Game (5 minutes)

Each week a game of the children’s choice is played either inside or outside, depending on the weatherand safety issues. For containment reasons, (meaning to assist children to feel physically, as well asemotionally safe), it may not be wise to venture outside for some groups.

This can be any game and does not need to fit with the group content, although another ‘get to know you’type of game would be recommended at this early stage of the group.


Questions to ask the group include:

What are feelings?

What feelings do we have?

Where do they come from?

What do they look like?

What do/could these feelings mean?


Note: Wherever games are indicated throughout the remaining sessions, this is done so only as an optionalidea and if time permits. Facilitators need to use their own discretion in deciding the suitability of gamesbased on needs of the participants.

Allowing the children to decide on the game not only provides them with some ownership of the groupcontent, but also allows them to practice their negotiating skills. If participants are unable to agree, a‘majority rules’ vote takes place, and if possible other games identified can be played in future sessions.

A list of suggested games and their instructions are available in Appendix B.

7. ‘Feelings’ worksheet (Additional activity if time permits) (10 minutes)

Introduce the worksheet ‘Feelings’. The ‘Feelings’ worksheet requires participants to complete a listof sentences. In the sentences participants identify a time when they experienced a particular feeling,identify what it was that caused the feeling, and describe their usual behaviour whilst experiencing theidentified feeling.

This activity allows the group members to think of what happened to cause the emotion, how they handled the situation, and if things could be managed differently.

While this worksheet can be completed for homework if required, it is wise to complete it during thesession, as experience indicates that it is rare to have all homework sheets completed and returned.

8. Week 1 reflection sheet (5 minutes)

At the end of each session participants are asked to complete a reflection sheet that matches the specific themes discussed each session. Facilitators should keep these until the end of the program. At the conclusion of the program the reflection sheets are returned to the child so they can reflect on their experiences of the group in their own time (see Appendix C).

Note: The same reflection sheet format is used each session. These can be used as a tool for feedbackand to make changes to the program, if required as well as being a useful tool for report writing andgauging a child’s progress. This also provides participants with an opportunity to raise any issues theywould like to express, but feel unable to discuss within the group. Facilitators then read these reflectionsheets immediately after the session and determine if any issues need to be followed up.

9. Feedback/Stickers (5 minutes)

Participants are given feedback by the group facilitators about what they have noticed in the group. A corresponding sticker is given for their sticker chart. Facilitators can use either ‘Strength stickers for Kids’or ‘I Can’ stickers from St. Luke’s Innovative Resources (see References).

If a participant has been observed trying new concepts, then they should be given a sticker thatcorresponds with and celebrates this achievement. The facilitator should explain to the participant whythey chose that particular sticker. It is important for participants to understand the connection of thesticker to the positive behaviour they have exhibited, and that this is reinforced with a reward. This is thesame procedure for every session as it signals group closure to the participants, and is intended to bringthem back to a safe, positive position prior to leaving the group.


Specific aims:• to encourage children to

recognise other peoples’feelings

• to teach children to identifytheir own feelings andemotions, e.g. exploringphysiological sensations

• to teach children to recognisethe connection between body,mind and action

• to explore anger andrecognise other feelings thatmight be mistaken for andexpressed as feeling angry

Materials:

• Name tags

• Group rules

• ‘Feelings’ cards*

• Stickers and sticker charts*

• Butcher’s paper forBody map

• Blu-tac, pens, drawing paper,textas, pencils etc.

• ‘Where do you feel youranger?’ worksheet**

• Week 2 reflection sheet**

• Ball

• Lolly jar (optional)

Week 2: Exploring feelings

WE

EK

2


1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Introduce session theme – ‘Exploring feelings’ and review group rules

2. Warm up: ‘Feelings’ charades (15 minutes)

Hand out a feeling card to each participant. Ask participants not to show their feeling cards to others.Each participant is to act out the actions as described in their feeling cards. The audience is to guess the feeling. Feelings include: anger, frustration, sadness, worry, fear, anxiety, excitement, jealousy etc.

A brief discussion should take place about why it is important for participants to be able to identify the feelings of others, e.g. if someone looks very mad, is this a good time to ask them for something?Why/why not?

The purpose of this activity is for facilitators to check how congruent participants’ actions are in responseto certain feelings, i.e. do the participants’ actions match the feeling being expressed? Facilitators are alsogiven an opportunity to assess informally if participants are able to identify feelings in others. It is also afun way for children to express themselves.

Note: For this activity facilitators need to be aware of participants’ cognitive abilities to ensure thatchildren are not set up to fail because of an inability to understand more complex feelings, such asjealousy or anxiety, etc.

3. Body maps (20 minutes)

Participants form small groups. Ask for a volunteer and then trace around their body on a large piece of paper to form a body map (first explain this task and ensure they feel comfortable with this exercise).Groups are asked to think about a strong emotion (other than anger) that they have experienced recently,such as frustration, embarrassment etc. (it is important to provide participants with an opportunity toexplore a range of strong emotions apart from anger). If possible, the group should come up with anemotion that more than one person has experienced. They are then asked to think about where they might have experienced this emotion in their bodies.

*See Further resources**See Appendix C

SECTION 2


Facilitators help them to explore the warning signs, and to consider how others might know how they arefeeling. Examples might include sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, more rapid breathing, red face,wobbly legs etc. Participants are then asked to represent these feelings on their body maps, thinkingabout their whole bodies.

Facilitators emphasise that it is important to pick up on how other people are feeling, why they mightbe feeling this way, and to learn how to recognise feelings in our own bodies. When we learn how torecognise the signals/sensations in our bodies, then we can learn to be more in tune with our bodies andmore in control of ourbehaviour through thinking about, rather than just reacting to what ourbody is telling us.

Facilitators need to encourage children to think about times when they experience positive or negativesignals in their bodies, and to discuss with participants how sometimes our negative feelings have apositive purpose, (i.e. if we acknowledge our butterflies or ‘yucky’ feelings, we may not then do somethingthat could put us in danger).

Each small group then shares their body map with the larger group. Discussion and reflection about thephysical experiences of feelings is encouraged.

Note: Facilitators always need to explain clearly to participants what you are asking them to volunteer todo. It is important that a participant who is self-conscious about his/her body size, or finds the intimacy ofthis process frightening or embarrassing, not feel forced into ‘volunteering’. This requires facilitators to readthe obvious and not so obvious signals of individuals with some sensitivity.

4. Game (10 minutes) – suggest Poison Ball (see Appendix B)

5. ‘Where do you feel your anger?’ worksheet (15 minutes) (see Appendix C)

Introduce the worksheet ‘Where do you feel your anger?’This is similar to the body map, but it is doneindividually rather than in a group. Participants are required to draw or write where and how they mightexperience their anger.

6. Week 2 reflection sheet (5 minutes) (see Appendix C)

7. Feedback/stickers (5 minutes) (see further resources)


Specific aims:• to explore with the children

their definitions of anger andother strong emotions

• for children to identify thetimes, the situations and the people that may makethem angry

• for children to become moreaware of their physiologicalresponses when theyexperience anger

• to explore how to manageangry feelings


• Group rules

• Music & CD player ortape deck

• Body map from last week

• Scribe poster (A3/5 poster paper to record participants’ responses)

• Blu-tac, pens, drawingpaper, textas, pencils etc.

• ‘Handling anger’ cue cards

• ‘Facts about anger’worksheet

• Week 3 reflection sheet

• Stickers & sticker charts(see further resources)

• Ball (Poison ball)


Week 3: Strong emotions - what do they look like?

WE

EK

3


1. Introduce theme: Strong emotions: What do they look like? (10 minutes)

Introduce the concept of anger. Initiate a discussion to assist in developing a group understanding of what is anger, how it is expressed and how it may impact on their lives and the lives of others.

Note: Here might be a good time to mention ‘loving someone,’ as a strong emotion and what this mightmean. Facilitators should ask participants about the different types of love that we experience. Facilitatorsneed to help make the link between how ‘love’ can often make us angry, especially when you lovesomeone, but they don’t share the same feelings, or they do not do what we want them to.

2. Angry animals (10 minutes)

Ask participants to think of an angry animal that reminds them of a situation or time when they wereangry. Draw the animal showing how its face and entire body looks when it is angry. Each participant thenshows and explains their picture of an angry animal. An alternative may be to bring in animal figures (toys)and selectwhich one represents them bestwhen they are angry and why?

3. Game (10 minutes) (see Appendix B)

Questions to ask the groupinclude:

What is anger?

What happens when we get angry?

Is anger good or bad?

What are the good and badconsequences of our anger?

(Facilitators write responses on poster paper)

SECTION 2


4. Handling anger (25 minutes)

Facilitators introduce some different ways of handling anger. Facilitators place several cards down on the floor withthe following cues*:

* Facilitators will need to make their own cue cards using these cues and any others they think would be useful.

Ask the participants to walk around the room and pick up a card that best matches the way they handletheir anger. Facilitators then invite participants to explain why they chose each card. Facilitators can askthe following questions:

• How do you usually deal with your anger?

• How could you deal with your anger better in the future?

• What happens when you handle your anger this way?

• Is it helpful? Does it work? Is the problem sorted out?

• Who else do you know who handles anger this way? Other family members? Friends?

• If you were to pick a card to describe how girls handle anger, which would you pick? What about boys?

• Are there any differences in the way males/females show anger – if so, why?

Facilitators scribe responses in relation to how each child handles their anger. Write the responses under ‘action’/‘outcomes’ columns.

Note: Facilitators should allow time for teasing out stereotypical responses from the children. Be awarethat this kind of discussion could be a trigger for exposing issues of inappropriate angry responses thathappen within their home lives (refer to Appendix C: ‘Possible effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People’ & ‘Recognising that living with Domestic Violence is a form of Child Abuse).


6. ‘Facts about anger’ worksheet (15 minutes) (see Appendix C)

Introduce worksheet, ‘Facts about anger.’The worksheet suggests that anger is a natural emotion which is neither good nor bad, but is the action that participants choose as a result of their anger that can haveeither positive or negative consequences. Participants are required to write or draw the actions theyengage in when they become angry. They are then required to identify as many as possible positiveand/or negative consequences of such actions. Facilitators then invite participants to share theirresponses with the rest of the group.

Note: The intention of this activity is to assist children to begin to take responsibility for their own actions,rather than blaming others. It is also hoped that they can begin to link feelings with actions andconsequences.

7. Week 3 Reflection sheet (5 minutes) (see Appendix C)


• Stay alone• Pretend that I’m not angry• Gossip• Body feeling tight• Ask person to stop annoying me• Tell a friend• Tell an adult• Hold my feelings in

• Sit by myself• Cry• Smash something• Deliberately hurt someone• Take deep breaths• Count to ten • Walk away• Explode

• Get embarrassed • Hit• Punch• Feel bad • Argue • Give in • Apologise• Steal things


• for children to further identifywhat makes them angry

• for children to begin torecognise what triggers their anger

• for children to begin tounderstand how their angerimpacts on others

• for children to begin to take responsibility for theiractions when angry

• for children to begin to understand how the anger of others impactsupon them

• for children to have theopportunity to express painful feelings associatedwith their experiences of being bullied or dealingwith peer pressure


• Group rules

• Scribe poster


• ‘Volcanic eruptions of feelings’worksheet


• Stickers & sticker charts (see further resources)



Week 4: What things make people angry?

WE

EK

4


SECTION 2

Specific aims:

1. Introduce theme: What things make people angry? (15 minutes)

Facilitators review the idea from last session that anger is a natural response that is neither good norbad, but is the action we choose as a result of our anger that can have good or bad outcomes. Facilitatorsintroduce the idea that a number of things that we do makes others angry. Briefly discuss how there arealso things that others do that make us angry, or have an impact upon us.

Facilitators should help participants to make the links betweenthe types of things that make them feel angry and how theyrespond to their strong emotions, the types of behaviours theychoose, and the good or bad outcomes of such behaviours.


3. What things make people angry? (20 minutes)

In a large group, brainstorm situations or things that can trigger someone’s anger. Ask participants if these are things that also make them angry. (Facilitators write down responses on poster paper).

Facilitators help participants to make the connection between,what makes them angry and how they handle their anger. Helpparticipants to understand that how they handle their anger notonly has an impact on themselves, but also has an impact onothers around them.


Facilitators can ask thefollowing questions:

How do you know whenyou’re feeling angry?

What do you feel inside yourbody?

What do you feel outside yourbody?

Have you ever noticedyourself respondingdifferently?

How was it different?

What was the outcome?

How do you think you could stop yourself before you explode?


5. ‘Volcanic Eruptions of Feelings’ worksheet (20 minutes)

Introduce the concept of the Volcanic Eruptions of Feelings by explaining that the volcano shows the build up of strong emotions, such as anger, frustration etc. The Volcanic Eruptions of Feelings is used to assist us to recognise our warning signs when feeling angry etc.

Ask participants where they would place their angry animal (from last session) on the volcano. Use thesituations identified within the ‘What makes people angry?’ brainstorm as a guide to what level of angertheir animal is expressing.

Facilitators ask the group for suggestions about what people could do to bring them down the Volcano.(Facilitators write responses on poster paper).

Note: When asking questions to children about strong emotions such as anger and sadness, facilitatorsmust be prepared for their answers. They may reveal quite serious family issues, especially if answersdescribe the child’s experience of family violence or some level of neglect or abuse. If a thoroughassessment has been made prior to the child’s participation in the program, facilitators may already knowthis information, however, the child’s first experience or disclosure of such issues may occur during a groupsession. If this is the case, facilitators will need to assess the need to either make a notification, or areferral for individual, couple or family counselling.

It is important that facilitators appreciate the complexities of this sort of program and that anger issuesmay signal some deeper contextual issues confronting the child.

Alternatively, facilitators might like to draw a volcano on a large piece of plastic sheeting or butcher’s paper and ask the participants to physically walk through the experience.




Specific aims:• for the children to be able

to identify how they expresstheir anger

• for the children to learn how to express their strongfeelings appropriately

• for children to learn theconcepts, ‘Stand Up’,‘Stand Down’ & ‘Stand Over’

• for children to learn when andwhy ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’ &‘Stand Over’ may be necessary

Materials:

Week 5: Managing anger: telling it truthfully

WE

EK

5


SECTION 2

• Name tags

• Group rules

• Blank A4 or A3 poster paper(x number of participants)

• ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’& ‘Stand Over’ Poster(available from the CGP)

• Scribe poster


• Story book - Standing Up to the Stand OverWoman(see accompanying booklet)

• Week 5 reflection sheet(see Appendix C)

• Stickers & sticker charts(see further resources)

• Ball (Poison Ball)


1. Introduce theme: Managing anger (5 minutes)

Facilitators suggest that this session will look at the different ways of responding to situations that cause us to experience strong emotions, such as anger or sadness, and how, if we are aware of our feelings, wecan deal with them in more positive ways.

Note: It is important for facilitators to remind participants that the group is soon coming to an end, this willallow time for participants to begin to prepare themselves for the feelings they may experience about thegroup’s completion. This should now be reiterated at the start of every remaining session right up until thefinal group.

2. News segment (10 minutes)

Facilitators ask participants to share some brief news (1 minute per person), about what they have learntso far from the group, or about a new concept that they have tried outside the group.

3. Telling it truthfully (30 minutes)

Facilitators introduce assertive (‘Stand Up’), passive (‘Stand Down’) and aggressive (‘Stand Over’)behaviours (poster available from the CGP).

Facilitators explain to participants that the way we try to approach a problem situation is very important,for example, ‘what we do’ and the messages we give about ‘how we do’ it may help sort out the problem.

Brainstorm ‘Stand Up’ – refer to assertiveness as ‘Stand Up’: this is a way of standing up for yourself, andwhat you believe in without hurting other people’s feelings. Examples include, making eye contact, talkingin a firm voice, standing up straight with shoulders back, making ‘I’ statements etc.

Brainstorm ‘Stand Down’ – refer to passiveness as ‘Stand Down’: that is, not standing up for yourself orwhat you believe, but instead expressing yourself in an internalised, or non-confronting way. Examplesinclude, avoiding making eye-contact, talking in a sulky voice, mumbling, constantly putting one’s selfdown, and reacting ‘like a little mouse’ etc.


Brainstorm ‘Stand Over’ – refer to aggressiveness as ‘Stand Over’: that is standing over people in orderto get your own way, or expressing your anger verbally and non-verbally in an aggressive and threateningmanner. Examples include: bullying, yelling, and making threats verbally and/or physically.

Note: Facilitators need to explain to participants that it is sometimes more appropriate to use a ‘StandDown’ (passive) response, particularly when there may be an imbalance of power present. Facilitators needto explain to children that it is not a good idea to use a ‘Stand Up’ (assertive) response to a situation thatmakes them feel angry if this puts the child in more danger. For example, it would be extremely dangerousfor a child who is the victim of family violence to ‘Stand Up’ for him/herself against the violence orthe perpetrator.

Facilitators should explain to children that they will have to judge when using a ‘Stand Up’ response to a conflict situation could in fact place them in more danger, thus it may then be best to use a ‘Stand Down’response instead. Facilitators should explain to participants that often adults can make very poorjudgements about when to ‘Stand Up’ or ‘Stand Down’ to others. Here we are not expecting that children will be able to exercise discernment, but see it as a beginning step in thinking about, rather than purelyreacting to, their strong feelings.


5. Story: Standing Up to the ‘Stand Over’Woman (30 minutes)

Facilitators read out the story of Standing Up to the ‘Stand Over’Woman. The group is asked to reflecton the story. The types of questions to ask during reflection time include:

• How might Vernon be feeling on the inside?

• How might he look on the outside?

• What might Vernon’s mother/father notice?

• What might his friends notice?

• What words would he use to describe how he is feeling?

• What would your body look like if it was feeling like that?

• What would it mean for Benita to change her behaviour?

• What might she gain/lose if she changes?

• What would she need to do to change?

• Should she change?

(Facilitators write responses on poster paper)

Note: These are sample questions only and may not all be necessary. They are simply ideas of how toprompt participants to start thinking about the complexities of a situation like the one in the book.





Specific aims:• to have more practice at

handling difficult situations

• to revisit concepts of‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’& ‘Stand Over’

• to continue to explore more appropriate, positivecoping mechanisms

• to overt feelings children may have about the groupfinishing


• Group rules

• ‘What things make peopleangry?’ brainstorm poster

• Puppets

• Role play scenarios andprompt cards

• Blu-tac, tape, textas

• ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’& ‘Stand Over’ Poster(available from the CGP)

• Week 6 reflection sheet(see Appendix C)

• Stickers and sticker charts(see further resources)

• Poison ball/koosh balls


Week 6: Taking risks

WE

EK

6


SECTION 2


1. Warm up: Review ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’, ‘Stand Over’ (10 minutes)

Facilitators review the meanings of the terms ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’, and ‘Stand Over’, to make surethat participants understand the meanings of each term.

2. Game (10 minutes)

A suggested game here might be the game ‘Changes’ (see Appendix B) which will help the participants to begin to become used to performing in front of the group, in time for the puppet play and the role plays ahead.

Note: For the next part of this session two alternative suggestions have been made. Both have theintention of allowing the participants to further practise the ‘Telling it Truthfully’ concepts they have learntin the previous weeks. Both ideas work best when participants break into small groups.

The first is to allow participants to practise doing a role-play of a difficult situation using puppets as props,practising the concepts, ‘Stand Down’, ‘Stand Over’ and finishing with ‘Stand Up’.

The second is to give participants in their small groups a specific situation that requires them to practisethe concepts, ‘Stand Down’, ‘Stand Over’ and finishing with ‘Stand Up’. (See Appendix C for role-play ideas orselect common themes from the situations generated by the participants in the ‘What things make peopleangry?’ brainstorm from session 4.)


3. Puppet play (55 minutes)

Facilitators split participants into small groups. Each group is required to perform a puppet-play usingthree different ways of handling difficult situations: ‘Stand Up’ (assertive), ‘Stand Down’ (passive) and‘Stand Over’ (aggressive).

THEME – ‘Being teased in the playground’

Note: It is useful for facilitators to demonstrate the difference between ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’ and ‘Stand Over’ in a role-play before asking participants to do their own role-plays.

OR

4. Role-play: Difficult situations (55 minutes)

Facilitators remind participants about the different ways of handling difficult situations, such as ‘StandDown’, ‘Stand Up’ and ‘Stand Over’.

Facilitators reinforce that these are fictional scenarios, however encourage participants to takeresponsibility for their own actions when required, and attempt not to blame others for their own behaviour.

Participants split into small groups and are given scenarios of difficult situations. Prompt cards can be used to remind participants to practise using ‘I’ Statements, the ‘Broken record’ technique, and notto ask‘Why?’

Note: Again, it is useful for facilitators to demonstrate the difference between ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’and ‘Stand Over’ in a role play before asking participants to do their own role plays.

Also, this activity needs to be set against a backdrop that recognises that the ‘Stand Up’ response tohandling conflict is not always the best option. Facilitators may, once again, need to discuss with childrenwhen it is useful to use ‘Telling it Truthfully’ and when it is not. Facilitators need to encourage the children’scapacity to make judgements about different situations.

Groupings should be chosen at the discretion of the facilitators. For example, will all groups practise all thetechniques, or will one group practise the ‘Stand Up’ technique, one group the ‘Stand Down’ technique, andone group the ‘Stand Over’ technique?



7. Feedback/stickers (5 minutes)


1. Warm up: ‘Guess which’ (15 minutes)

Participants act out a scene that involves feelings, either individually or in pairs. The audience has to try to identify the feeling or style of communication being used, i.e. ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’ or ‘Stand Over’.

2. Review and ‘Stand Up’ role plays (40 minutes)

Review discussions from previous week around styles of communication, i.e. ‘Stand Up’, ‘Stand Down’ or‘Stand Over’. Allow time for the participants to do more role-plays of difficult scenarios, but this timeparticipants are expected to respond to the situations using the ‘Stand Up’ technique of problem solving only.


4. ‘Trying something new’ worksheet (Appendix C) (10 minutes)

To assist participants in attempting to change their old bad behaviour, this worksheet requires participantsto reflect on things that they would like to change, and how this makes them feel. Participants identifysomething personal that they would like to see change in the future, and then to identify what they coulddo differently to achieve such changes.

Note: It is important that facilitators assist children to identify something they would like to change thatis achievable. Facilitators may need to explain again to children that they are only in control of their ownbehaviour and responses to the actions of others, and that they cannot change the behaviour of others.



7. Feedback/stickers (5 minutes)


Specific aims:• to expand children’s capacity

to identify a range of different,yet complementary, feelings,i.e. sadness-anger, fear-anger

• to review the usefulness ofexisting patterns of behaviourparticipants may use

• to reflect on the children’sreadiness to change negativebehaviours into more positive ones

• to enable some positive risk-taking around alternative ways of expressing strong emotions


• Group rules

• Role-play prompts

• ‘Standing Up, StandingDown and Standing Over’poster

• Butcher’s paper and textas

• ‘Guess which’ cue cards(see Appendix B)

• ‘Trying something new’worksheet





Week 7: Practising changes

WE

EK

7


SECTION 2


Specific aims:• to review the program

and reinforce what’s been learnt – i.e. new skills andachievements

• to allow time for the childrento express their feelings aboutthe group ending

• to celebrate the individualachievements of each child in the group

• to have fun in a safe way


• Group rules

• Pens, pencils, textas, crayons

• Blu-tac/drawing pins, tape

• Strength cards/feelingcards/bear cards (see Further Resources)

• Koosh balls


• ‘Stand Up, Stand Down,Stand Over’ poster(available from the CGP)

• Participants’ work (collectedduring group sessions)

• Puppets

• ‘Reflection worksheet(see Appendix C)


• Certificates (see Appendix A)

• Weekly brainstorm posters

• Party requirements (chips, lollies, cordial etc.)

Week 8: Finishing up and saying goodbye

WE

EK

8


SECTION 2

Note: It is important for facilitators to remind participants that this is the final group, and to allow time for participants to express their feelings about the group ending.

Again, it is important for facilitators to recognise that saying good bye for some children with significantgrief and loss issues, may create a feeling of anger for them, especially if they have had the people theylove leave them regardless of what they have wanted (i.e. parents divorcing etc).

1. Feeling cards (10 minutes)

Participants sit in a circle on the floor. Facilitators place a number of bear cards (or alternative) face upinside the circle.

Participants are asked to choose a bear card that shows how they felt about coming to the group on the first week. Once everybody has had a turn, facilitators then repeat the process, but this time askingparticipants to choose a bear card that shows how they experienced the group overall. Then finallyfacilitators ask the participants to choosea bear card that shows how they feelabout the group ending.


3. What I have learnt (15 minutes)

Participants are asked to complete abrief worksheet that is returned to thefacilitators. This assists in reviewing the program as a whole.

Questions include:

What was it like comingto the group eachweek?

Has it helped you tochange in any way?

What’s changed?

Do you do anything toexpress your feelingsdifferently?

Has anyone noticed thechanges?

One thing I willremember is....

Is there anything elseyou would like to say?


Note: The feedback from these sheets is handy to use as a tool for the feedback in parent/child sessionsat the completion of the program.

Alternative ways of checking these responses include: do this activity as a general discussion with afacilitator scribing the participants’ responses, write the questions up on separate ‘graffiti sheets’ which will allow each child to write their response in a more informal way.


5. Feedback/stickers and certificate

6. Presentations (15 minutes)

7. Party/celebrations

This is usually a fairly informal social party where participants and facilitators might share some party food, such as chips, lollies and drinks (or healthier alternatives) and might spend some time reflecting on the group experience, or playing some fun games. Participants’ work can be handed back, andcertificates presented.

Note: In approximately week 5 facilitators will have invited parents/carers and/or significant adult of theparticipants to attend the final 20–30 minutes of this session to join in the presentations and celebrations.However, firstly, facilitators will have asked participants if they would like their parent/carers to attend,and if they would be able to be there. A decision is usually made depending on the responses of the group.If any child strongly disagrees with their parent/carer attending, then it is advisable that no parents/carersare asked to attend.

Where the decision has been made to ask parents/carers to attend, and it is known that some childrens’parents/carers are unable to attend due to other commitments, a discussion about how this child caninform their parent/carer about the celebrations is advised. Facilitators should also encourage participantsto be supportive of their peers who do not have family members present, as well as reminding childrenthat some parents/carers do have to fulfil other commitments, such as work etc.


Appendix A contains sample material that may be adapted to suit the needs of individual facilitators.

APPENDIX A: FORMS

SECTION 3.1

FORM

S


Feeling is Thinking (FisT) ProgramInformation for professionals and familiesFeeling is Thinking is an eight-week group program that focuses on working with children who experiencedifficulty in expressing their strong feelings.

Key objectives

• for children to understand and explore the origins of their strong feelings

• for children to feel more confident to express their feelings positively

• to increase children’s assertive behaviours and problem solving skills

• to assist children to improve their social skills and relationships with others

• for children to become familiar with a range of different feelings and emotions

• to provide feedback, information and strategies to families and school staff regarding children participating in the program

Recommended target groupThis program has been identified as being most suitable for those children aged between 8–11 years who are experiencing problems in expressing their strong feelings, and who have difficulties in theirinterpersonal relationships. They may have difficulty in expressing emotions (either by internalising or over-externalising emotions), and struggle in successfully resolving conflict.

The program has a limit of six (minimum) to eight (maximum) participants, with issues of gender beingconsidered when establishing the group, i.e. facilitators should strive for a 50/50 gender mix, or maychoose a same sex group, etc.

Note: Through experience it has been noted that the concepts covered can be adapted to thedevelopmental level of the participants. It has been observed that the following age groups work togethersuccessfully: 8–9 year olds and 10–11 year olds.

Themes covered in the program

Aims:

• to create a safe environment for children to understand, express and manage theirstrong feelings

• to provide children with the opportunity to develop skills that will allow them toestablish and maintain positive interpersonalrelationships

• to assist children to develop healthier ways to resolve conflict

• to assist children to build their self esteem

• to establish support networks within thechild’s school and family to maintain andpractise concepts utilised in the group

• to encourage children to begin to takeresponsibility for their own behaviour

• to encourage children to begin to understandhow their behaviour impacts on others

• Getting to know one another

• Exploring feelings

• Strong emotions: What do they look like?

• What things make people angry

• Managing anger: telling it truthfully

• Taking risks

• Practising changes

• Finishing up and saying goodbye


Structure and formatFeeling is Thinking is an eight-week program with weekly sessions of 1.5 hours in duration. The program has a limit of 6–8 participants. Issues of gender are considered when establishing the group.

Each session follows a similar format:

Facilitation The same facilitators will be present for the duration of the program. Two facilitators as a minimum will berunning the program, with the possible inclusion of a student teacher or student social worker etc. to assist.

Facilitation of the program is most successful when facilitated by a staff member trained in the program,and has experience, or a keen interest in student welfare issues.

For further information about the Feeling is Thinking Program, contact:

on

1. Selection process for group participationPrior to commencement of the group, facilitators conduct an interview with the parents and children whohave been referred to Feeling is Thinking. This is to determine the suitability of the program to address theneeds of the child, family, school and health centre, etc.

A number of evaluation tools may be completed pre and post the group program. These include a parentconsent form, a general information form, and a behavioural checklist - a ‘Strengths and Difficultiesquestionnaire’ - that may be completed by parents and teachers. Children may also required to completepre and post ‘Self Esteem questionnaires’.

Note: School staff involved in facilitating the program may choose to ring the families of the children theywish to refer to the group. This provides an opportunity to discuss the group prior to making an interviewtime. Some families like to hear directly from school staff the reason their child has been chosen etc.

Feedback sessionsFeedback sessions are offered to parents/carers of children participating in the group. These are offeredat the mid-way point and again at the conclusion of the group program.

The mid-way session is intended to provide parents/carers with further information about the contentof the group and to show some of the children’s work produced during the sessions.

The final feedback is intended to inform parents/carers about their child’s participation in the group,achievements, and areas needing further work from the child and family. This is a two-way processwhereby the family and child (if present) also have the opportunity to give feedback to facilitators.

It is during this final feedback session that the post evaluation material is completed where appropriate.

Feedback sessions can also offered to teachers or other service providers, i.e. case managers etc.,of children involved in the program (where requested).

• Introduce new theme

• Review previous week

• Warm-up activity – focussing on different types of feelings

• Related activities

• Game

• Reflection time

• Stickers and feedback

Date:

Dear Parent/Carer,You may or may not be aware that your child has been invited to be a possible participant of the ‘Feeling Is Thinking’ (FisT) group.

‘Feeling Is Thinking’ aims to assist children aged 8–11 years to develop appropriate and positive ways of dealing with strong emotions, especially anger and frustration.

In order for your child to participate in ‘Feeling Is Thinking’ we require that you and your child attend a parent/child interview. You will be contacted in due course to make a time to meet for an interview.

AimsWe also wish to provide you with the groups details, which are as follows:

Group: Feeling Is Thinking

Venue:

Date:

Commencing: (for approximately 8 weeks)

Times:

Facilitators:

If you have any questions or concerns about the interview please contact:

on

Looking forward to meeting you and your child.

Regards,


• to create a safe environment for children to understand, express and manage theirstrong feelings

• to provide children with the opportunity todevelop skills that will allow them to establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships

• to assist children to develop healthier ways toresolve conflict

• to assist children to build their self esteem

• to establish support networks within the child’s school and family to maintain and practise concepts utilised in the group

• to encourage children to begin to takeresponsibility for their own behaviour

• to encourage children to begin to understand how their behaviour impacts on others


Presenting problem(s)List in detail up to three of the most significant difficulties the child is having:

1

2

3

How do you believe this group will benefit this child? What outcomes would you like to see for the child at the end of the group?

Previous therapeutic involvementList in detail any interventions that have already been tried with the child/family: What was the outcome?

How have the parents assisted and/or supported the child’s progress:

Are there any other agencies involved with the child?

Are you aware of any existing or previous history of family violence? If yes, please give (or attach) details

BACKGROUND FACTORSList any other relevant details e.g.: family issues, medical issues, precipitating factors,recent losses, risk factors:

ASSESSMENT / INTERVIEW FORMFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


REFERRAL FORM

Referrer name:

Telephone: Fax: Email:

Client/student details

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Phone: Date of birth: Age:

School:

Teacher: Grade:

Is the child of Aboriginal orTorres Strait Islander Origin?

No Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Parent/carer details

Mother’s name:

Mobile No: Work No: Home No:

Father’s name:

Mobile No: Work No: Home No:

List any other agencies involved with the child:

Interventions already attempted with this child/family:

Presenting problem(s)

Please list up to three of the most significant difficulties the child is having:

(1)

(2)

(3)

How do you believe this group will benefit this child? What outcomes would you like to see for the child at the end of the group?

Other comments or relevant details (i.e. family details/siblings etc.)

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Child’s name:

Child’s date of birth: / / Age: Sex: male / female

Mothers/carers name:

Address:

Phone No. (AH/MOB): Work No:

Occupation:

Fathers/carers name:

Address:

Phone No.(AH/MOB): Work No:

Occupation:

Languages spoken at home:

Primary language:

Education:

Has your child missed out on much schooling?

None Only when sick Extended periods of time

Has your child repeated a school year? Yes No

Number of schools attended?

Parental concernHave you felt any concern regarding your child’s:

behaviour? Yes No

If Yes, please describe

emotional development? Yes No


physical development? Yes No


educational development? Yes No


Health

Does your child have any medical conditions? Yes No


Is your child on any medication? Yes No


Has your child received any counselling or psychological treatment? Yes No


GENERAL INFORMATION FORMFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


This helps us remember your goals for the group program. Parent name/s:

Child’s name:

What would I like to change?

Child

Parent/s

How would I know things were better?

Child

Parent/s

GOAL SHEET (optional) FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


GROUP PARTICIPANT’S DETAILS

Term:

Venue:

Name Address Age Contact No School Referrer’s name

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Program name:

Term:

Venue:

Student/Client Name:

YES NO

Consent of parent/carer/guardian to participate in the Feeling is Thinking program

Consent to complete all required pre- and post-evaluation material

Consent to have photographs taken to be used forthe promotion of the Feeling is Thinking program

Consent to use written work/art/other materials created,(originals or copies), for the promotion of the Feeling is Thinking program

Consent to attend outings/activities

Consent to emergency medical treatment

Name (print)

Signed parent/carer/guardian Date

CONSENT FORM 1(including permission for materials produced)

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Program name:

Term:

Venue:

Student/Client name:

YES NO

Consent of parent/carer/guardian to participatein the Feeling is Thinking program

Consent to complete all required pre- and post-evaluation material

Consent to attend outings/activities

Consent to emergency medical treatment

Name (print)

Signed parent/carer/guardian Date

CONSENT FORM 2(excluding permission for materials produced)

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Consent to attend outing activities is giving permission for student/client to participate in all activitiesaway from the group venue.

Consent for Emergency treatment is in the event that your child requires medical treatment whilst in thecare of the group facilitators. Consent is for your child to be given any medication thought necessary andappropriate to urgently administer for the physical health and safety of your child. Consent for photographsto be taken is giving permission for the use of promotion in professional publications, or for generalexhibition with confidentiality assured as well as consent to utilise written work/art or other materials forpromotion of the program. Any private identifying information will not be disclosed.

Note: Should you not require the groups work material/photographs etc for the promotion of the programplease use the second consent form.

GUIDELINES TO CONSENT FORMFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Can you please rate the following areas:

1. Your child’s behaviour at home

Great deterioration Slight deterioration No change Slight improvement Great improvement

Comments:

2. Your child’s behaviour and functioning at school


Comments:

3. Your family relationships


Comments:

4. Overall, how satisfied were you with the program?

Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Uncertain Satisfied Very satisfied

CONSUMER SATISFACTION FORM (Parents)FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


5. Do you have any other comments regarding the group program?

Child’s name:

Group program:

Your name:

Signature: Date: / /

Thank you for your assistance.


Dear Parents,

As part of the Feeling is Thinking program your child has participated in this term, we offer a parent/carerinformation session. This session is intended to provide you with more information about what your child has been doing in the group, and how you might be able to introduce some of these ideas into your child’shome life.

The details of this session are as follows:

Where:

Time:

Date:

Please feel free to contact

on

should you have any questions or concerns.

Regards,

MIDWAY INFORMATION SESSIONFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Date:

Dear

Regarding:

Your child has participated in a Feeling is Thinking program throughout the school term.

As part of this program, we requested your assistance in completing a pre-evaluation questionnaire. Now that the program has finished we would like to repeat the questionnaire to see if any changes have occurred.

We would also like you to complete a satisfaction form. This assists us in evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

A reply paid envelope is attached to assist in returning these forms. Your time and assistance with thisprocess is appreciated.

If you have any other comments or concerns please contact

to discuss these further on

Regards,

POST-EVALUATION SESSIONFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Date:

Dear

Just a letter to inform you that we are having feedback interviews for parents on

for the Feeling is Thinking group. This session is just for parents, therefore does not

need to attend this session.

During this session, we will seek feedback from yourself about how you feel

has gone during the program. We will also ask you to complete the POST evaluation forms, and provide you

with our thoughts on participation in the program, and give you some

recommendations for the future.

Could you please contact me on to arrange a suitable time, if you require

feedback. If you do not wish to receive feedback I shall send out the POST evaluation material with a

reply paid envelope, for you to complete and return.

Regards,

FEEDBACK INTERVIEWFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000

FisT©RCH MHS 2000

Has completed the

Feeling is ThinkingProgram

Learning safe ways to express yourself

Term

Facilitator

Agency

Year

Facilitator

Agency


In this group I have shown ....

FEELING IS THINKING

Name:

STIC

KER

CHAR

T


APPENDIX B: GAMES

The games below may already be familiar to you. They often have different names and a variety of differentrules. The children will quickly let you know what rules or variations are most familiar to them, however werecommend using those below as they have been adapted to suit the purpose of the program.

Whilst some games are competitive by nature, it is useful to minimise the competitive elements andmaximise the fun by handing out prizes such as minties to everyone.

1. Getting to know you Balloon GameFacilitators ask each participant to:

• Blow up and tie off a balloon.

• Invite participants to form a large group and tell them that you are going to play some music. While the music is playing they must keep the balloons in the air, not letting them hit the floor as they movearound the room.

• Participants are then asked to keep the balloons in the air, firstly by using both arms, then one arm,and then no arms.

• When the music stops, tell participants to pair up with the person who has the same colour balloon as them.

• The pairs then find three things that they have in common (for example, favourite foods, music, etc). These are the first stages in getting to know each other.

• Participants are invited to return to the big group. Each pair introduces one another, and shares with thegroup the three things they have in common.

• Participants are then asked to draw a feeling on their balloon and show it to the group. The group thenguesses the feelings drawn. You may wish to tie string to the balloons so that participants can keep them.

2. Feelings CharadesHand out a feeling card to each participant. Ask participants not to show their feeling cards to others.Each participant is asked to act out the actions as described in their feeling cards one at a time. Theaudience then guesses the feeling. Feelings include anger, frustration, sadness, worry, fear, anxiety,excitement, jealousy, etc.

A brief discussion should take place about why it is important for participants to be able to identifythe feelings of others. For example, if someone looks very mad, is this a good time to ask him or herfor something? Why/why not?

3. Angry AnimalsAsk participants to think of an angry animal that reminds them of a situation or the last time when theywere angry. Draw the animal showing how its face and entire body looks when it is angry. Each participantthen shows and explains their picture of an angry animal.

This can also be done as individual role-plays, in which each participant acts out an angry animal.

4. Treasure ChestBreak the big group into two groups of four. Each group elects a runner.

The group leader makes up a list of about twenty (time permitting) items in the room, or that children haveon them. They call out a list of items, for example, sock, shoelace, book. It is best not to use anythingbreakable with the children.

The group then supplies an item to the runner, who then takes it to the game scorer (the same or anothergroup leader) as quickly as they can. The first runner to reach the scorer wins a point. The leader continuesthrough the list, and the team with the most points wins.

SECTION 3.2


5. Poison BallChoose two people to throw the large, but soft, rubber ball from either side of the room. Ask all otherparticipants to stand in the middle.

The two people on the outside throw the ball to each other, trying to hit those in the middle. When aparticipant is ‘hit’ by the ball they are ‘out’ and must stand aside for the rest of the game. They can re-enterthe game if another participant offers them a ‘spare life’, which is earned if they catch the ball before itreaches the ‘thrower’ on the other side.

The two people on the outside can also attempt to throw the ball over the top of participants to eachother. If the ball is caught by the person on the other side, without it touching the ground, they can call out ‘freeze’.

‘Freeze’ requires those in the middle to freeze like statues, and to give the ball throwers an opportunity tohit (gently!) one of the participants, as they are unable to move away from the ball.

If those in the middle move to avoid the ball during freeze, they automatically become out, regardless of whether or not the ball hits them. If one of the participants in the middle should catch the ball (can onlymove hands) during freeze, they earn a spare life to use at a later time, if they go out, or they can offer thislife to someone who has already gone out.

If this person chooses to give away their space life to another (a very noble sentiment), the other person isable to rejoin the game. A life can only be used once, thus the person loses their spare life, and if they arehit by another ball they must go out.

6. Scarecrow Tiggy

One person volunteers to go ‘it’. Their job is to ‘tag’ as many people as possible. Once tagged, a personmust stand like a scarecrow, with arms out and legs open wide enough to allow someone to crawl throughtheir legs.

The people who are the scarecrow are not allowed to move, however they can earn a new ‘life’ if they canconvince someone else to crawl through their legs.

Note: If participants are not physically comfortable with this idea, facilitators may need to vary the way the game is played.

7. What’s the time Mr/Mrs Wolf? (or Ms)Someone volunteers to be Mr or Mrs (or Ms) Wolf. The ‘wolf’ stands by themselves at the far end of theroom with their backs to the others. A ball is placed behind them.

The aim of the game is for the others to creep up and try to take the ball, and run back to the other end ofthe room without getting caught by the wolf.

The children sneak up behind the wolf, calling, “What’s the time Mr/Mrs/Ms Wolf?”The wolf responds bysaying the time, for example, one o’clock, four o’clock, and so on, and looks over his/her shoulder everyfew seconds.

When the wolf looks over his/her shoulder the kids have to freeze. If someone looks likely to get the ball,the wolf yells, “DinnerTime!” and tries to catch the others (this game is best played in a space which isquite large i.e., a gymnasium).

. . .MORE GAMES


. . .MORE GAMES8. Partners Ball GameThe children get into a circle and are paired up with the person standing opposite them in the circle. Each pair has a ball to throw to each other.

The idea is to throw the ball between partners as many times as possible without dropping it, or hitting theother balls being thrown across the circle by the other pairs. A point is scored if the ball is dropped, but itis the pair with the smallest number of points that wins.

9. Name GameThe children stand in a circle facing each other. They must say the name of a person and throw the koosh(soft flour-filled ball) to them.

A person goes ‘out’ and stands outside the circle if they fail to say the name of the person to whom theythrow the ball, or if they throw the ball in a manner too difficult for the other person to catch.

If a person fails to catch the ball, when it is thrown reasonably, then they go out and must stand aside.Introducing more than one koosh ball can add to the fun.

10. Duck, Duck, GooseThe children sit in a circle on the floor. One person volunteers to go first and be the ‘caller’. The caller walksaround the back of the circle and lightly taps each person on the head, saying either“Duck” or“Goose”.

When a person is called “Goose” they must get up and chase the caller around the circle and try to sitback in their own spot first.

Whoever misses out on the spot becomes the caller and continues with the game. By having two ormore people (depending on the size of the circle) moving around the back of the circle, and changing thedirection in which they run, this game can be spiced up.

11. Sharks and Islands

Place a few large pieces of butcher’s paper on the floor to act as an island. These need to be large enoughto fit almost all the children. The children walk around calling out different types of swimming strokes to actout, e.g. freestyle, backstroke, etc.

At any point the facilitators can call out “SHARKS”. At this time all the children must try to fit on thebutcher’s paper. Those who are unable to fit on the paper are out (i.e. eaten by the sharks). After each call the paper should be folded into smaller pieces so that it is harder for all the children to stay on, untileventually there is one child left who is the winner.

12. Footy Frenzy (a variation of the game Fruit Salad)

The children sit on the floor in two rows facing one another with their legs together, stretched out in frontof them. They will need sufficient space between the rows so the children can run over the pairs of legs.

Each pair facing each other is given the name of a footy team in either AFL or Rugby league. When thename of their footy team is called, the pair must get up and run over the legs of the other pairs to the endof the row, back around their own row and into the middle of the row to get back to their original place. The first person back to their place earns a point for their row. Calling out ‘Footy Frenzy’ means everyonegets up at the same time (causing chaotic fun) and has to run back to their spot. First row seated wins.

13. Silent Speed BallChildren stand in a circle and throw a soft ball or a koosh ball to another participant without making anysound. A person goes out if that person makes any sound, drops the ball, or throws the ball too high, ortoo hard for another person to catch. When they go out they sit down. The child left standing wins.


14. Ship AhoyThe children line up one behind the other in the centre of the room, or in a space large enough for therunning aspect of this game. The leader gives commands that the children respond to by following specificactions as outlined below. A person goes ‘out’ if they are the last one to respond, or if their action doesn’tmatch the command. The children who are out sit quietly. Allow time for the game to be played more thanonce so that winners can give commands.

Commands:

• Captain’s aboard - stand to attention and salute

• Climb the rigging - climbing action on the spot

• Scrub the deck - squat down and pretend to scrub the deck

• Captain’s friend coming - wave hello

• Hoist the main sail - one hand over another like pulling up a sail

• Port - run to right of room

• Starboard - run to left of room

15. Dead FishThis is a good activity to use as a wind down after an active session. Relaxation music can be played to help the children along the way.

Each child finds a place on the floor where they have enough space around them to lie in a comfortableposition and keep extremely still. Ask the children to become relaxed and floppy like a dead fish for aminute (or the designated time), and then bring their attention back to the room. Ask them one by one tocome up to you. Provide feedback and reward stickers.

If you have a particularly chaotic group this game can be used to settle the group by calling out ‘dead fish’unexpectedly. The participants are expected to immediately drop to the floor and lay still like a dead fish.The child who can stay still the longest wins.

16. Guess Which

Children sit in a circle. Ask for a volunteer to start the game. The volunteer is given a cue card with afeeling, or one of the three styles of communication (Stand Up, Stand Down & Stand Over), on it. Ask thevolunteer to act out what is on their card, without making any noise.

The audience then tries to guess the feeling or the style of communication being expressed. The personwho guesses correctly has the next turn.

17. ChangesChildren sit in a circle. Ask for a volunteer to start the game. The volunteer stands in the middle, or in frontof the audience and turns around in a circle for the audience to have a good look at them. The volunteer isthen taken to another part of the room where they cannot be seen clearly by the audience.

The volunteer then changes something about themselves, for example - puts their shoes on the wrongfeet, rolls up a sleeve, tucks one side of their pants into their sock etc.

They then come back out in front of the audience who guesses what has been changed. To make itmore exciting the audience can be given only two or three guesses, which necessitates them working as a team.

Whoever guesses correctly has the next turn. If they have already had a turn they may choose someonewho has not yet had a turn. If the change is not identified, the volunteer may choose someone to go next.

. . .AND MORE GAMES

Appendix C contains worksheets and reflection sheets that may be copied for use in group work.


WORKS

HEETS

APPENDIX C: WORKSHEETS

SECTION 3.3


WEEK 1 NAME THE EXPRESSION

ExcitedName the expression

Name the expression Surprised

Name the expression Embarrassed

WEEK 1


Complete the following sentence:

A time I remember feeling angry was

I felt angry because

When I feel angry I usually

A time I remember feeling sad was

I felt sad because

When I feel sad I usually

A time I remember feeling hurt was

I feel hurt because

When I feel hurt I usually

A time I remember feeling happy was

I felt happy because

When I feel happy I usually

A time I remember feeling embarrassed was

I felt embarrassed because

When I feel embarrassed I usually

(Adapted from Christine Forsey, Hands Off)

FEELINGSWEEK 1

When you are angry, things happen inside and outside your body.

Where do you feel your anger?

Draw what happens to your body when you are angry.

WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOUR ANGER?


MESSAGES TO REMEMBER:

• Bottling up anger is bad for your health

• Anger is a natural feeling and is okay

• It is the actions we choose when angry that can have good or bad consequences

• Learning what causes our anger helps us to manage our anger more positively

WEEK 2


FEELINGS CARDS

CCOONNFFIIDDEENNTTHead up straightStand up straightLook the person in the eyesStand tall

EEXXCCIITTEEDDBig smiley faceAlertStanding up straight ... orSitting on the end of yourchair

BBOORREEDDLook away into spaceYawnRest your head in your handDon’t make eye contactLoose shoulders

UUPPSSEETT

Sad look on your faceArms crossed slumping downin chairShoulders droppedDropped lower lip

AANNGGRRYYClenched teeth and fistsBody stiff and uptightWalking on the spot quicklyCross look on your face

FFRRUUSSTTRRAATTEEDDShort breathsLook at a watchFidget, rubbing handsthrough hairAnnoyed look on face

CCHHEEEERRFFUULLSmileRelaxed bodyMake eye contact

NNEERRVVOOUUSSClearing throat and coughingWringing handsFidgeting, moving around in chairRestless

WEEK 2


• Anger is a natural feeling or emotion that we have, and is not good or bad

• It is the behaviours/actions we choose as a result of our anger that have good or bad outcomes for ourselves and for others

Make a list of all the behaviours/actions you choose when you are angry

Now place the behaviours/actions identified above into the columns below depending on whether you think they would give you good or bad outcomes.

FACTS ABOUT ANGER

Good Outcomes Bad Outcomes

WEEK 3


Facilitators may use these cues to create their own cards.

HANDLING ANGERWEEK 3


EEXXPPLLOODDEE!!

MMAADD

RREEAALLLLYY AANNGGRRYY

AANNGGRRYY

UUPPSSEETT

FFRRUUSSTTRRAATTEEDD

UUPPTTIIGGHHTT

AANNNNOOYYEEDD

SSTTRREESSSSEEDD

CCAALLMM

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS OF FEELINGS

Briefly explain what made you angry, and howyou managed your anger:

Now, using the chart on the left, numberor colour in the feelings you felt at the time thissituation was happening. Imagine the chartis a volcano.

Name:

WEEK 4


Someone takes your ball or your bag and will not give it back

Your friends tell you that they do not want to play with you

Someone pushes you over in the playground

Someone teases you about the clothes you wear

Your brother or sister will not let you have a turn on the computer

A kid at school keeps following you and annoying you by calling you names

Your friends tell you to do something that will get you into trouble if you are caught

A bully is pushing you around while his other friends watch and laugh

Source: The list above represents suggestions only. They originate from stories that previous FisT group participants have identified as difficult experiences.

SCENARIO IDEAS FOR ROLEPLAYING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

WEEK 6


How do you usually handle a difficult situation?

How do you feel about trying something new?

What is something new you could do to better manage difficult situations?

What things might you find hard when trying these new ideas?

TRYING SOMETHING NEWWEEK 7


Name

1. A new person I met this week was:

2. How did you feel before the session started?

3. A new feeling I learnt was:

4. How do you feel now, at the end of the session?

WE

EK

1

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


REFLECTION SHEET

Name

1. What are two things that happen to your body when you get angry?

2. What are two things that happen to your body when you are happy?

3. Name someone new whom you have met in the group this week.

4. What did you like best about today?

5. What is something you did not like about today?


REFLECTION SHEET

WE

EK

2

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Name

1. Some different Angry Animals are:

2. Name three things that make you really angry!

3. What are two things you do to handle your anger that have a bad outcome?

4. What are three things you can do to handle your anger that give you a good outcome?

WE

EK

3REFLECTION SHEETFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Name

1. When I get really angry, I usually:

2. How high up the volcano did you get?

3. What was happening inside your body?

4. What was happening outside your body?

5. What things could you do to stop yourself from exploding?


WE

EK

4

REFLECTION SHEETFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Name

1. When someone is ‘Standing Over’, three things they might do are:

a.

b.

c.

2. When someone is ‘Standing Down’, three things they might do are:

a.

b.

c.

3. When someone is ‘Standing Up’, three things they might do are:

a.

b.

c.

4. Next time I get angry I am going to try to:

WE

EK

5REFLECTION SHEETFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



What is violence?Violence and abuse occur when one person exerts power in order to control others. They can occurin many ways. All types of violence and abuse have the effect of intimidating and degrading others. Many forms of control can become violent or abusive when they interfere with the rights of others and their sense of wellbeing.

• Emotional violence/abuse includes: degrading, insulting behaviour, not respecting anotherperson’s feelings or experiences, and threatening suicide to prevent a person from leaving. Forchildren it includes witnessing the violence/abuse, breaking childrens’ toys, and cruelty to pets.

• Physical violence/abuse includes: attempting suicide to prevent a person from leaving, usingweapons, throwing or breaking things, road rage, punching, hitting, shoving, and kicking etc. Such assaults are a criminal offence.

• Verbal violence/abuse includes: harassment, insults, name calling, put downs or ridicule ofany aspect of a person’s or a child’s being, such as their body, their beliefs, occupation, culturalbackground, skills, friends or family etc., or falsely claiming their partner has mental health problems.

• Sexual violence/abuse includes: all sexual behaviour without consent (or threats of such behaviour),such as unwanted touching, rape, exposing oneself, and making someone view or participate in sexualacts or pornography.

• Social violence/abuse includes: all behaviours that limits, controls, or interferes inappropriately withan adult’s or a child’s social activities or relationships with others, such as controlling their movementsand denying them access to their family and friends, controlling what a person wears, or even buyingtheir clothes, being abusive or violent to the persons friends and/or family.

• Financial violence/abuse (of a partner) includes: not giving a person (partner) access to their shareof the shared resources (e.g. car, savings), expecting them to manage the household on an impossiblylow amount of money, and criticising them or blaming them when they are unable to manage this, or notallowing their partners to gain employment outside the home.

• Spiritual violence/abuse includes: all behaviour that denigrates a person’s or a child’s religious orspiritual beliefs and prevents them from attending religious gatherings or practising their faith. It alsoincludes harming or threatening to harm a person or a child in religious or occult rituals, or forcing a person or child to practise a religion against their own wishes or beliefs.

• Physical/emotional neglect involves: a person failing to provide basic physical, emotional andmedical needs to another person or child for whom they are responsible.

• Other controlling behaviour includes: any behaviour that denies a person’s right to autonomy,safety and equality, especially when used frequently or in combination with violence (Younger 1995).

Adapted from Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Service (RCH MHS – PARKAS Groups) & DjerriwarrhHealth Service – Family Violence Prevention Program (DjHS-FVPP) & No To Violence (NTV).

SECTION 4

ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


• Penguins slapping their beaks

• Screaming

• Punching

• Grabbing

• Pinching

• Blaming others

• Being nasty

• Carrying weapons

• Swearing

• Cracking up

• Lying

• Shaking

• Holding a knife to someone’s throat

• Breaking fingers

• Stabbing

• Kicking

• Moving house a lot

• Smashing things from my grandparents

• Get cranky and leave the house

• Locking people out of the house

• Stopping us from going to other people’s house

• Threats to stab mum

• Saying confusing things

• Bashing me up

• Lying

• Throwing you on a hard chair

• Breaking things

• Throwing and kicking furniture

• Road rage

• Threaten to burn down the house

• Throw mums suitcase on the roof to stop her from leaving

• Left out after dark

• Throwing things around


What does the word VIOLENCE mean?How children affected by family violence have defined ‘Violence’ - RCH MHS – PARKAS Children’s Group (2002)

What’s the worst thing about violence?

• I wish there was no such thing

• That it actually happens

• Not having Dad around

• That I can remember everything

Is there anything good about violence?

• The good thing is that he is no longer with us

• I am happy, although I still miss him and wish he was with us

• I am happy he can’t do those things anymore

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Possible effects of domestic/family violence on children and young peopleInfants Poor health, poor sleeping habits, excessive screaming or crying, and fearful reactions to loud noises.Withdrawn, unresponsive, and failure to thrive.

ToddlersFrequent illness, severe shyness, low self-esteem, social problems such as hitting or biting, clingy,withdrawn or passive behaviour, and anxious or aggressive behaviour. Poor impulse control, andindiscriminate attachments.

Pre-schoolersAny of the above characteristics, as well as physical reactions such as eating problems, nightmares,stomach cramps, headaches, lethargy, feeling responsible for the violence/abuse, anxiety, and socialisolation. Over-identification with the victim and/or perpetrator of the violence.

Primary SchoolAny of the above characteristics, as well as developmental slowness, poor school performance, lack ofschool attendance or school refusal, concentration difficulties, difficulty relating to peers, rebelling againstadult authority, behavioural problems, such as hitting, biting, lying, stealing, swearing/aggressive language,running away from home, anxiety, withdrawal, and depression or fear for the abused person’s safety.

Adolescents Any of the above characteristics, as well as feelings of depression, grief, shame and despair, feelings of distrust, a sense of powerlessness, alcohol and/or other substance abuse, including glue sniffing and self-medicating, growing up to behave in similar ways to their parents, learning that violence is a legitimateway of gaining control of, or resolving a difficult situation, and suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Adapted from Adapted from James 1994, cited in Gevers, L. & Goddard- Jones, M., Working with Children living with Domestic Violence: Practice Standards forService Providers (Abridged); McGee, C. 2000, Childhoodexperiences of Domestic Violence and Djerriwarrh Health Service - Family Violence Prevention Program (DjHS-FVPP), 1996. RCH MHS - Parents Accepting Responsibility Kids Are Safe (PARKAS) 2000.

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


Recognising that living with domestic violence is a form of child abuseResearch in the area of domestic violence and its impact on children, suggests that living with domesticviolence is a form of child abuse. Even if the abuse is not directly aimed at the child, it can have an impacton a child’s physical, social, emotional and psychological wellbeing. Some of the ways in which children livingwith domestic violence may be directly or indirectly abused, are:

• being denied a safe and supportive environment in which to grow and develop to their full capacity

• witnessing the violence or abuse

• hearing and seeing constant verbal/emotional abuse and the degradation and isolation of the victim

• being physically/verbally/emotionally abused when attempting to stop the violence

• being denied extended family, peer and broader social supports and connections as a result of the social control imposed by the perpetrator

• being denied the emotional resources required for their own emotional, physical and social wellbeing and development

Adapted from: McGee, C. 2000, Childhood Experiences of Domestic Violence, and The Centre forWomen’s Health at the Benevolent Society of NSW, cited in Gevers, L. & Goddard-Jones, M., Working with Children Livingwith Domestic Violence: Practice Standards forService Providers, (Abridged).


FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



What is anger?

• A response to a situation

• A reaction inside your body

• Frustration

• Feelings (mean or strong)

What do we look like when we get angry?

• Face goes tense

• Veins pop out

• Teeth clench

• Face frowns

What are some good consequences of anger?

• Expressing anger in writing

• Telling the truth

• Telling people how you are feeling

• Standing up against something you believe is wrong

What happens when we get angry?

• Go red in the face

• Go crazy

• People can hurt themselves

• Damage property

• Throw tantrums

• Over-react

• Swear or say things we don’t always mean

What happens inside our body?

• Heart beats faster

• Feel pressure

• Become tense

• Fingers swell up

• Sick in the stomach

• Shakes

• Pressure in the head

What are some bad consequences of anger?

• Getting into trouble

• Being yelled at

• Being grounded

• Hurting yourself

• Detention

• Anger hurts your insides

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Positive ways to manage your anger

• Walk away

• Ignore the other person

• Count out aloud until you calm down

• Scream loudly where no one else can hear you (or into your pillow)

• Rip up some scrap paper into tiny pieces

• Listen to music

• Exercise

• Talk to someone else about your feelings

• Find a quiet place on your own to think

• Tell the other person how you feel withoutyelling – Use ‘I’ statements (be assertive)

• Take some deep breaths until you feel calmer

• Go and play another game

• Lie in your bed

• Go home or go somewhere you feel safe

• Play a game such as gameboy/playstation

• Hit a pillow/punching bag

• Read a book

• Have a bath or shower

• Ride a bike

• Watch TV

• Kick a football etc.

• Let the other person know how you are feeling

• Go for a walk

• Ring a friend

• Tell an adult (parent, teacher etc.)

• Write it down or draw what you are feeling (keep a diary)

• Seek help from a counsellor/teacheror adult you trust

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Telling it truthfully (assertiveness for kids)‘Standing Up’ (for yourself) means to tell someone how you are feeling, and what you want to happen.

‘Standing Up’ (for yourself) is used during a difficult situation.

The purpose of ‘Standing Up’ (for yourself) is to let others know how you feel about a situation, withouthurting their feelings.

When ‘Standing Up’ (for yourself) you need to:

• Use ‘I’ Statements

‘I’ feel....

‘I’ want....

‘I’ need....

• Tell people honestly how you are feeling

• Stand up straight with your shoulders back

• Make eye contact (but not in a mean way)

• Use your normal voice (no yelling)

Please Note: There are times when it is not safe to ‘Stand Up’ for yourself, such as when your physicalsafety may be in danger. During these times it is best to ‘Stand Down’ from the bully and get away fromthe situation as soon as possible.

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



BullyingWhat to try:

1. Try not to give the bully opportunities to be hurtful. Wherever possible, have others around you for support

2. Try ignoring the bully or walking away. It may work sometimes

3. Try to respond to the bully with confidence. Look him/her in the eye and talk in a firm voice

4. Use firm body language, such as standing up straight with your shoulders backTry to look confident, even if you feel scared

5. Using ‘I’ statements, making eye contact and speaking in a firm voice, say something such as,‘I’m sick of this teasing and I want it to stop!’

6. Get help from a teacher or an adult if all the above fails to stop the bullying. It’s important to ask for help ifand when you need it!

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000


ReferencesBunston, W. 2002, One Way of Responding to FamilyViolence: Putting on a PARKAS, Children Australia, vol 27,no. 4, pp 24–27.

Bunston, W., Pavlidis T.,Leyden P., Putting the GRO intoGroupwork, 2003, Australian Social Work, Vol 56, no. 1,pp 40–49.

Community Group Program 1999, Program Handbook,Royal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Service, Flemington,Victoria.

Coopersmith, S., 1989, SEI: Self Esteem Inventories Manual,Consulting Psychologists Press Inc., Palto Alto.

Crapuchettes, B. 1997, ‘Spirituality and Relationships’,Psychotherapy in Australia, vol. 4, No 1, pp. 62–67.

Forsey, Christine 1994, Hands Off: The Anti-Violence Guide toDeveloping Positive Relationships, West Education Centre Inc.

Goodman, R. 1999, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire,Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and alliedDisciplines, 40,5:791–799 (Available from ACER)

James, C.D. 1984, ‘Bion’s “Containing” and “Holding” in theContext of the Group Matrix’, International Journal of GroupPsychotherapy, vol. 34, No 2, April, pp. 201– 213.

Peterson, L. & Gannoni, A. 1988, 1992, Wragg 1989, Stop,Think, Do Poster.

Possible Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People, Adapted from James 1994, cited in Gevers,L. & Goddard- Jones, M., Working with Children living withDomestic Violence: Practice Standards forService Providers(Abridged); McGee, C. 2000, Childhood experiences ofDomestic Violence and Djerriwarrh Health Service– FamilyViolence Prevention Program (DjHS-FVPP), 1996.

Sklare, G., Keener, R. & Mas, C. 1990, ‘Working with Groups:Preparing Members for“Here-and-Now” Group Counselling’,The Journal forSpecialists in Group Work, vol. 15, No 3,pp. 141 –148.

What is Violence? Adapted from Royal Children’s Hospital-Mental Health Service (RCH-MHS) & Djerriwarrh HealthService - Family Violence Prevention Program (DjHS-FVPP) &No To Violence (NTV).

Winnicott, D.W. 1971, Therapeutic Consultations in ChildPsychiatry, The Hogarth Press, London.

Recognising that living with Domestic Violence is a form ofchild abuse, Adapted from: McGee, C. 2000, ChildhoodExperiences of Domestic Violence, and The Centre forWomen’s Health at the Benevolent Society of NSW, cited inGevers, L. & Goddard-Jones, M., Working with children livingwith Domestic Violence: Practice standards for serviceproviders, (Abridged).

Further ResourcesDepartment of Family & Community Services 2000, ‘ConflictResolution Styles’, BACK ON TRACK: Finding a way throughseparation and repartnering.

‘Separation and Repartnering: Talking with Young People’,Adapted from Department of Family & Community Services2000, BACK ON TRACK: Finding a way through separation andrepartnering.

St. Luke’s Innovative Resources, Strength Cards for Kids,P.O. Box 315, Bendigo,Victoria, Phone: +61 3 5440 1100.

St. Luke’s Innovative Resources, Bear Cards, P.O. Box 315,Bendigo,Victoria, Phone: +61 3 5440 1100.

‘Telling the Children’, Adapted from Anglicare Victoria,Parentzone Splitting Up.

Webber, R. 1989, ‘Children’s Possible Reactions to ParentSeparations’, Living in a Step Family, Leaders’ resource, ACER,Australia, p.63.

‘Win/Win For All: Six steps to problem solving’, Adapted fromDepartment of Family & Community Services 2000, BACK ONTRACK: Finding a way through separation and repartnering.

Recommended ReadingBunston, Wendy 1999, ‘Back to their Future: Family Violence,Childhood Trauma and Future Relationships’, VictorianAssociation of Family Therapists Inc. (VAFT) News, vol. 21,no.4, pp. 5–13.

Dupont, Philippe J. 2001, ‘What Adolescents Stir Up in Me’,Reclaiming Children & Youth, Summer vol.10, no. 2,pp. 83–85, 99.

Gevers, Leslie & Goddard-Jones, Marise, ‘Working withChildren Living with Domestic Violence: Practice Standardsfor Service Providers’ (Abridged), Partnerships AgainstDomestic Violence, Commonwealth of Australia (www.ggj.biz)


FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Goodman, R. 1997, ‘The Strengths and DifficultiesQuestionnaire: A Research Note’, Journal of Child Psychologyand Psychiatry, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 581– 586.

Herman, Judith 1997, Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence – from domestic abuse to political terror, BasicBooks, USA.

Huda, Aden & Leffler, Sarah 2001, ‘Promising Approaches forAngry Children’, Reclaiming Children & Youth, Summer vol. 10,no. 2, pp. 122–125.

Leffler, Sarah & Tyler Snow, Stephanie 2001, ‘School-BasedPrograms That Reduce Violence’, Reclaiming Children & Youth,Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice, Winter vol. 9,no. 4, pp. 234–238.

Mayer, G. Roy 2001, ‘Antisocial Behaviour: Its Causes andPrevention Within Our Schools’, Education and Treatment ofChildren, California State University, Los Angeles, vol. 24, no.4, pp. 414–429.

Mosca, Frank J. & Yost, Deborah S. 2001, ‘Developing Toolsfor Reflecting on Counter-aggressive Responses to TroublingBehavior’, Reclaiming Children & Youth, Summer vol. 10, no. 2,pp. 100–105.

Parker Roerden, Laura 2001, ‘The Resolving ConflictCreatively Progam’, Reclaiming Children & Youth, Spring vol.10, no. 1, pp. 24–28.

Weinhaus, Evonne & Friedman, Karen with Stagoll, Brian 1987,Stop Struggling with YourTeenager, McPhee Gribble/PenguinBooks, Australia.

Website: www.parentingsa.gov.au

Possible agency contacts Victoria and Australia wide• After Hours Child Protection Service

MELBOURNE 131 278

• Crisis Line VICTORIA 9329 0300

• Domestic Violence Incest Resource Centre (DVIRC) VICTORIA 03 9387 9155

• Human Service Agencies Child Protection VICTORIA 1300 369 536

• Immigrant Women’s Domestic Violence Service VICTORIA 9898 3145

• No To Violence (N/TV) VICTORIA 1800 065 973

• Relationships Australia (Head Office) VICTORIA 03 9205 9570

• Strengthening Families VICTORIA 9929 5326

• Victorian Women’s Domestic Violence Outreach Crisis Service 1800 015 188

• Women’s Legal Group Victoria VICTORIA 1800 133 302

• Department of Community Services NEW SOUTH WALES (02) 9716 2222

• Department of Family & Youth Services SOUTH AUSTRALIA (08) 8226 7000

• Child Protection Board TASMANIA (03) 6231 1811

• Department of Family,Youth & Community Care QUEENSLAND (07) 3235 9936

• Department of Family & Community Services WESTERN AUSTRALIA (08) 9222 2555

• Child Protection Crisis NORTHERN TERRITORY 1800 066 777

• Domestic Violence National Clearing House AUSTRALIA 9385 2990

• Kids Helpline AUSTRALIA 1800 551 800

• Lifeline 131114


Child’s name:

Week number:

Child’s understanding of the concepts covered or themes in the session:

Participation/contributions to the group:

Interaction with peers and facilitators / role in group

Individual functioning (behaviour, problem solving, language skills, self-esteem, developmental level, emotional functioning, progress)

PROGRESS NOTES / OBSERVATIONSFIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



Name:

Agency:

Address:

Phone: Fax: Mobile:

Email:

Please tick if you would like to be added to our mailing list Yes No

Would you like more information on:


Other manuals produced

Training information

Support materials

Programs run by the Community Group Program

CGP 5-year progress and evaluation report

Comments:

Please forward this form to: The Community Group Program Administrator50 Flemington Street, Flemington,Victoria, 3031

or for further details please contact ph: 9345 6011or fax: 9345 6010

REQUEST FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONABOUT THE COMMUNITY GROUP PROGRAM

FIST

© R

CH M

HS

2000



MENU OF GROUPS - CGPGroup ProgramPARKAS – Parents Accepting Responsibility – Kids are Safe (10 weeks + reunion)Developed in partnership with Djerriwarrh Health Services, this is a community-based group for parentsand children aged 8–12 years, who have been exposed to family violence. It aims to provide children withthe space to acknowledge and process their grief, loss and pain, and create an opportunity for children to safely reconnect with their parent/s.

Girls And Art (8 weeks)A group for girls in middle to upper primary school who are anxious, withdrawn and exhibiting poorself-esteem. It aims to promote confidence, self-esteem and expressive abilities of girls in group settingsthrough the use of art.

Boyz n’ Art (7 weeks)A group for boys in middle to upper primary school who are anxious, withdrawn and exhibiting poorself-esteem. It aims to promote confidence, self-esteem and expressive abilities of boys in group settingsthrough the use of art.

Stop, Look and Listen (7 weeks)A group for children aged 6–8 years experiencing difficulty in behaviour management and poor social skills.It aims to promote the theme of STOP, LOOK & LISTEN, including the development of alternative coping skillsthat can be applied in conflict situations.

Healthy parents program (7 weeks)A group for parents who feel anxious, unsupported or inadequate in dealing with their children. It aims toeducate and support parents in handling stressful events and encourages parents to use these strategiesto improve their interactions with their children.

MeSaRo – Media, Sexuality and Respecting Others (5 weeks)An in-class program aimed at children aged 11–14 years. It utilises media as a medium to raise awarenessand promote respectful beliefs and attitudes in relation to sexuality, gender, power and control, stereotypesand relationships.

FisT – Feeling is Thinking (8 weeks) A program for boys and girls aged 8–11 years who are experiencing difficulty in naming, expressing and managing their feelings and other strong emotions. It aims to provide an environment that will helpchildren develop skills to resolve conflict and to interact better with others.

BuDDiES – Building Different Dynamics in Engaging Socially (8 weeks)

A group for middle to upper primary school children 8–10 years which focuses on developing skills thatbuild and maintain friendships. Its aim is to develop the children’s confidence in social interactions,reading social cues from others, reducing inhibitors to forming connections with others (for example,anxiety, aggression) and promoting inclusivity.


Bike Challenge (7 weeks and a 2-day camp)A program for adolescents in Years 7 and 8 who have been identified as experiencing difficulties in socialinteractions and in coping with secondary school life. It uses the high interest activity of bike riding toengage the students. It is conducted one day a week, with an outdoor camp at Blackwood OutdoorEducation Centre to finalise the group activities.

Blast Off!! (8 weeks)

Blast Off!! is a program which focuses on working with boys who have poor impulse control or selfregulation. For boys aged 8–12 years who present with ADHD type behaviours, who have lack of impulsecontrol, lack of awareness of others, or who are withdrawn and rigid in their physicality. It is importantthat the child referred wants to participate in a movement-based program.

Body Talk (8 weeks)

‘Body Talk’ is a program that focuses on working with girls who have low self-esteem and negative body image, and who would like to dance and express themselves through movement.

It is for girls aged 12–15 years who have poor self-concept and body image, problems with peerrelationships and interactions, lack of definable boundaries, or personal space. It is also for girls who are experiencing difficulties in the home/school environment.

You Can, I Can! (8 weeks)‘You Can, I Can!’ is a 8 week program that focuses on working with students who experience difficulty with behavioural management issues and dealing with strong feelings. The program is designed for six (6) students who are aged between 10 to 12 years old in the middle years area of the school and haveintellectual and physical disabilities who are identified as having difficulties with challenging behaviours.

SCaRE – Socially Creative and Recreational Experience (8 weeks + camp)SCaRE is an adventure-based program for 10–12 year olds, which focuses on working with children who have difficulty expressing their feelings appropriately. These children may be difficult to engage in traditional ways of working i.e. individual and/or group discussions. The program runs for one full day a week for 6 weeks culminating in a 3 day camp in week seven, then a follow up final day in week eight.

Community Group ProgramRoyal Children’s Hospital Mental Health Serviceand Travancore School50 Flemington StreetFlemington,Victoria, 3031Telephone: 03 9345 6011

www.rch.org.auwww.travancoresch.vic.edu.au


Documents

Program run more than 50 times over 5 years FEELING · Feeling is Thinkingprovides these children with a numberofmore appropriate,positive strategies to deal with conflict,and allows