What is the ‘Lets GROW Together’ Intervention?

Fresh Little Minds ‘Lets GROW Together’ programme is a targeted early intervention programme tier 2–3 intervention for carers/parents and child/ren to undertake together.
This intervention has been successful in supporting and deescalating the stresses experienced by many families who are navigating emotional distress, bereavement, change, loss and those who are on waiting lists for CAMHS & ASD services. Parents/carers are empowered to become proactive in supporting their own children’s emotional wellbeing and coping strategies. When clinically tested the results for resilience for those who took part in the family support programme included a reduction in overwhelm, empowered parents, and a clinical prediction for reduced risk for mental disorders including depression, anxiety, concentration disorder and ASD. Families are happier, healthier and more able to thrive even as they navigate life’s difficulties.
This is a pscho-education and therapeutic intervention, this means that the programme is not counselling or play therapy but uses play, talking, creativity and a blend of therapeutic interventions including CBT which has therapeutic benefits for those who take part. The education empowers both the parent/carer and child understand better what is happening for them increasing self-compassion and offers tools and strategies to help both parents and children heal, change and take back control.
The programme will build resilience amongst children and their carers and supports families develop skills and knowledge in these areas:

“We can now talk about feelings and what may have caused them. We can use movement either by stretching or running around. We can
think about breathing and remember that feelings and thoughts aren’t facts.”

Fresh Little Minds Parent

Emotion

Enabling children and carers to explore, understand and express tricky emotions and to find a language or tools that works for the individual family to nurture emotionally healthy practices, such as words, pictures, music, movement, hugs, play, time together, creativity and more.

Behaviours

Supporting carers and children to understand behaviours that can be difficult and learn strategies and techniques to help manage behavioural challenges.

Self- Regulation

Supporting children and their carers to understand how stress feels and operates in their body in ways that can help or hurt them and help them develop a ‘self-soothing’ toolkit that is unique to their needs.

Relationship

Encouraging and teaching children and carers to communicate and relate together. To safely ‘express’ themselves and to understand the benefits of expressing and sharing thoughts and feelings for a healthier happier and more lasting relationship.

Gratitude and Kindness

Supporting children and carers to develop a sense of their strengths, to feel more hopeful and optimistic and to grow a positive mindset that helps boost mood, increase motivation, reframing unhelpful outlooks and negative self-talk.

Confidence Building

Carers and children feel ‘heard’ and are supported to develop confidence in their abilities to manage difficult situations which can otherwise seem overwhelming.  Carers and children learn to take back control and learn how to get back into sync when they get out of sync.

Choice

The inner wisdom, connection self and development of autonomy is cultivated through listening to, recognising and articulating one’s own needs.  Both child and carer are empowered to make their own choices throughout the intervention which is flexible enough to embody that need.

A Fresh Start

Carers and children learn that every day is ‘A fresh start’ and that every time we get out of balance that we have the power to diffuse anger, frustration, low mood and overwhelm and start again.  They will learn of the importance of self-forgiveness through kindness, self-compassion, and compassion towards each other.

Where does this intervention fit into mental health services?

Tier 2

This is a targeted Therapeutic Psychoeducation Intervention that that supports parents to build positive relationships, connect with their child and learn strategies for strengthening resilience and mental health together with one another. Within this intervention there will be a focus on a unique goal or need identified for the individual parent/child.
It is a therapeutic practice which blends a range of traditional therapeutic modalities such as talking therapy and CBT but has additional modalities more suitable to supporting children engage in healing including co-regulation, somatic body work movement, breath work, mindfulness, play, and restorative processing. It is combined with educational tools so that children and parents leave more empowered to understand themselves and more able to develop a healthy emotional relationship which extends beyond the therapy room. Each family receives a box of tools which acts as a positive anchor in the home and which can be used in the home for years to come, benefiting everyone at home.

Who is it for?

Committed Parents/Carers & their Child aged 4 – 12yrs

The programme supports carers and children in a wide range of circumstances. This is not an exhaustive list, but many children who take part in this service present with…
  • Bereavement, Grief & Loss
  • Dealing with change, loss, bad news, separation
  • Physical Illness or mood disorders
  • Family or school difficulties
  • Anxiety and anxiety related issues
  • Anger management
  • The impact of bullying
  • Transition difficulties
  • Low confidence or self-esteem
  • Adversely impacted by trauma including the COVID 19 pandemic
  • ASD
  • ADHD

Duration & Venue

8 x 1.5hr Sessions

(sessions can be shorter for some children based on their capacity)

                    • Session 1 & Session 8 (Parent/Carer Only)
                    • Sessions 2 – 7 (Parent/Carer + Child Together)
                    • Delivered in person or online (1 session per week)
                    • This can be commissioned for your school, health care or community facility
                    • Fresh Minds Education can arrange private support in the following locations: Antrim, Toome. Ballyclare and Derry/L-Derry
                    • Fresh Minds Education are currently seeking funding to resume this as a free service – news of this will be updated here, on our social media and on our news. Sign up to news to hear first.

Family Benefits

“I can now talk about my emotions and understand which emotion I am feeling. Before I would have always said sad, but now I can tell if I am nervous, worried, etc.”

Clinical assessment results reveal key benefits for Children

Benefits for children:

  • Reduced Stress – increased feelings of wellness
  • Reduced Emotional Distress – increased sense of stability
  • Reduced Behavioural Difficulties – more regulated and therefore able to take part, learn and enjoy life

Improved Life Outcomes:

  • Happier, healthier and more able to thrive in life
  • Reduced risk of the development of disorders
  • Reduced risk of developing an emotional disorder e.g. depression or anxiety
  • Reduced risk of developing a behavioural disorder
  • Reduced risk of developing hyperactivity or concentration disorder

Clinical assessment results reveal key benefits for Parents

Benefits for Parents:
  • Reduced Stress
  • Improved Relationship
  • Increased understanding of behaviours
  • Increased coping strategies

“The biggest thing for me was that my child was able to understand his feelings and be able to talk about them. I also learned so much about his feelings which has helped massively.”

Children & Parents Learn

  • Improve confidence, self belief and self image
  • Regulate and calm brains and bodies
  • Positively express feelings
  • Self Soothe and cope with life’s challenges
  • Boost the immune system
  • Improve physical and mental health

  • Reduce Overwhelm
  • Alleviate the Impact of Bullying
  • Calm Disruptive Behaviour
  • Concentration & focus learning
  • Children express themselves
  • Improve Relationships

How does it work?

Step 1 Suitability Assessment

Step 2 Family Onboarding

Step 3 Complete the Programme

Step 4 Reports

Who can commission this?

  • Education Authorities, Schools, Health Trusts and Councils supporting the health and wellbeing of children and parents.
  • Government Depts and organisations with strategic objectives for meeting the needs of the children and parents.
  • We Welcome Private Sponsorship ensuring this intervention reaches those most in need

Benefits to Services & Commissioners

  • Highly evaluated and evidence-based approach and methodologies
  • Proactive intervention & service to offer families
  • Reduced waiting lists
  • Reduced pressures on services
  • Reduced costs to children’s services

Request to Book 

We can support a limited number of private referrals or funded places for families each year. Please click below for eligibility, information and to submit an Expression of Interest form

Sponsorship & Funding

Support Local Families: Fresh Minds are able offer this intervention service for parents and children free and at subsidised rates with the support of sponsorship and funding.
Please contact us if you can help us support and meet the needs of those parents and children most in need.

Aligned Strategies

Evidence

– GP Federation Report
– Northern Health & Social Care Report
– The AMBER Approach Evidence Base Report