Helping Families with Troubled Children

Carole Sutton is Associate Director of the Unit for Parenting Studies at De Montfort University. She originally worked as a social worker in the fields of health, mental health and children and families, where her experiences as a practitioner and as a parent led to an interest in preventive work to support young families. She studied for a degree in psychology and then for a doctorate in parent education, working with Professor Martin Herbert. She is a chartered psychologist. This book has grown out of her subsequent experiences of teaching and training professional workers, health visitors, social workers in field and residential settings, psychologists, family therapists, teachers and doctors and supporting parents in helping their troubled children.

• Tables and Figures xiiiAbout the Author xviiAcknowledgements xviiiIntroduction 1So the grounds for concern are still serious 1The beginnings of a focus upon prevention 1Some common themes emerging from the research 3Dissemination of the necessary skills 7Part I SOME GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR HELPING FAMILIES 91 Research Concerning Troubled Children 11The needs of children 11The nature of children’s difficulties 11Origins of children’s difficulties: risk and protective factors 13The effectiveness of interventions to help children 272 Social Learning/Cognitive-behavioural Theory 33Ways of thinking about human beings 33A range of perspectives on human beings 36Exploring principles of cognitive-behavioural theory 45Making use of principles of cognitive-behavioural theory 54Summary of some key principles of cognitive-behavioural theory 673 Engaging and Supporting Parents and Families 68Children within a statutory and organisational context 68How can we best support families? 69Developing awareness of cultural issues 74Developing a positive focus 77Practice issues: the importance of structure 79Interagency work 81Methods of giving help: evidence from research 824 ASPIRE -- Assessment 84ASPIRE: a process for practice 84What is assessment? 85The steps of assessment – and beyond 905 ASPIRE: Planning, Implementation, Review and Evaluation 105The stage of planning – with parents or caregivers 105Implementing the plan 119Reviewing and evaluating the plan 123Part II HELPING FAMILIES WITH SPECIFIC DIFFICULTIES 1296 Helping Families with Children Who are Anxious or Depressed 131Definition of emotional disorders 131Prevalence of emotional difficulties in children 131Research into children and anxiety 133Helping families with anxious children 136Research into children and depression 148Helping families with depressed children 1517 Helping Families with Children’s Sleeping Problems 158Definition of sleeping disorder 158The prevalence of sleeping/waking difficulties 159Research into the origins of bedtime and waking problems 161Research into the management of bedtime and sleep problems 166Helping families whose children have bedtime/waking problems 1708 Helping Families with Children with Eating Problems 180Problems of definition 180Prevalence of eating/feeding problems 181Research into the origins of feeding/eating problems 182Research into the management of eating difficulties 185Helping families with children with eating difficulties 1899 Helping Families with Children with Serious Behaviour Problems 198Difficulties of arriving at definitions 198Prevalence of and continuities in conduct disorders 199Research into the origins of conduct disorders 202Research into intervention in conduct disorders 206Helping parents with children with serious behaviour problems 20910 Helping Families with Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 224Difficulties of arriving at definitions and diagnoses 224Prevalence of ADHD 226Research into ADHD 227Research concerning the management of ADHD 228Research focusing upon organisational strategies 231Helping parents with children with features of ADHD 23211 Helping Families whose Children Wet or Soil 244Enuresis/bed wetting: definition and prevalence 244Research concerning the origins of bed wetting 244Research concerning the management of bed wetting 247Help for families with children who wet the bed 247Encopresis/soiling 254Research into the origins of soiling 255Research into the management of soiling 256Help for families with children who soil 25612 Parent Education and Training: Values and Research 263The value base of the work: ethical issues 263Support for families in a multicultural society 265The content and process of effective programmes of parent training 266Content and characteristics of effective parent education programmes 266The process and practicalities of parent training 268Devising agreements to support practice 270Maintaining the improvement 275Concluding remarks 276Appendix 1 Form for assessment of child behaviour difficulty 277Appendix 2 Form for recording ‘life events’ for the family and child 282Appendix 3 Form for obtaining ratings on the life events scale 283Appendix 4 Form for compiling summary of information relevant to assessment 285Appendix 5 Form for noting A–B–C sequences 286Appendix 6 Form for charting behaviours 287Appendix 7 Form for eight-week charting of positive and negative behaviours 288Appendix 8 Form for planning with parents 290Appendix 9 Parenting positively: some notes for parents 291Appendix 10 Weekly sleep chart 292Appendix 11 Guidelines for good practice of behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy 293Appendix 12 Form for framing an agreement between a worker and a client 298Appendix 13 Form for framing an agreement in one-to-one or family work 299References 301Index 315