Confidence Carers Group shows childhood behaviour problems can be resolved

May 30, 2007

Help is again at hand for parents or carers who are at their wit’s end trying to deal with young children who experience ongoing problem behaviours.

Following the success of the first evening program, the Northfields Clinic and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service will be running further ‘Confident Carers – Cooperative Kids’ groups.

Parents who attended the most recent group provided enthusiastic feedback for the program saying they have seen noticeable improvements to behaviour in the family environment and improved interactions between siblings and other peers. Children were now expressing themselves verbally without lashing out as much in the past.

The Confident Carers Group has been established as a new community initiative by Northfields Clinic and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service to provide Illawarra families with assistance in raising five to 11 year-old children who have problem behaviours.

Supervising Clinical Psychologist, Mark Donovan, said problem behaviours are shown by most, if not all, children from time-to-time. There are many causes of behaviour problems, including the child’s temperament, the parent’s inadvertent reinforcement of unwanted behaviours, and the impact of other sources of stress on the family. The more of these factors present, the more likely a child will develop problem behaviours. These problem behaviours significantly interfere with how children get along with their family, friends and schoolwork.

“Confident Carers – Cooperative Kids” is a 10-week behavioural family intervention program for parents and carers that aims to reduce problem behaviours by focusing on improving:

(1) Parent-child relationships through the use of play and other positive activities; (2) effectiveness of praise and rewards when reinforcing appropriate behaviour; (3) effectiveness of instructions when setting necessary limits on behaviour; (4) use of preventative strategies (for example, planning ahead and managing emotions) that limit the causes of misbehaviour; and (5) consistency and type of responses to problem behaviour.

Note: Families can self-refer to this program by simply contacting the Northfields Clinic on 4221 3747. Referral to CAMHS is via a GP/school counsellor or other child and family worker. Sessions can be held during the day or early evening. Parents/carers attend the sessions, not the children. Cost for the program is $50 or $35 concession at Northfields Clinic, or $25/$15 at CAMHS.

The next groups begin on: 10am Thursday 19 July (CAMHS); and 6.30pm Thursday 26 July (Northfields Clinic).

Media – for further information contact either Mark Donovan on (02) 4221 4820; Rob Battisti on (02) 4221 4511 or the Northfields Clinic general number on 4221 3747.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128