Overseers Board MeetingDecember 7, 2010

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Parents: Partners in Enhancing ResiliencyA Free Web-based Parent Guidance Tool

Paula K. Rauch M.D.

www.stayingstrong.org

Home Base Program, Dir. Family ProgramMassachusetts General Hospital

Based on the PACT Model

Family

Community

Resiliency Models

• Recognize the protective factors

• Amplify and expand factors that can be changed

• Provide practical information to caregivers

• Improve the experience for every child

• The responsibility for resilience resides in the family and community, not in the child

Triad of Protective Factors

• Positive temperament (sociable, flexible, related)

• Family warmth and primary caregiver attunement

• Social support surrounding the child and family– Microanalysis of stress affected vs stress resilient children (Kilmer et al, 2001)

StayingStrong.org

• Video based parent guidance tool• Builds on parenting skills• Over 2 hours of short videos• Video content

– Visitor’s Guide– 3 Parenting principles videos– 4 child development videos– 8 military family stories

• Narration• Animation• Specific parent guidance feedback

Parent Coach

• Staying Strong is designed to be watched alone or with a partner, friend or counselor

• Caring connection increases learning capacity, especially when emotions are high

• Ex. Bucket of ice story

Parent Guidance

• Two heads are better than one

• Two heads plus two hearts are much better than two heads alone

• Guidance (education) in the context of a relationship is much more effective

• Ultimately caring action is essential

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Development is like a long hike up a series of hills

Every child has a backpack to carry

Mood

Anxiety

LearningChallenges

Attention

Friends

Family

Physical Health

AdjustmentWorries

Parents Can Lightening the Load

• Parents know their children

• Parents love their children

• Parents are trusted by their children

• Parents travel with their children

PACT Principles

• Parents are the experts on their own children

• Parents want and need the tools to parent at challenging times

• Children want their parents to be the guides

• Practical guidance is essential

Confusion is the enemy of coping

Parent Coaching

• Rangers on the developmental trail– Teachers– Coaches– Extended family– Counselors– YOU

“First responders” are trained to notice when a child is slipping or falling on the climb

Special Strengths

• Self reliance

• Strong family values

• Computer/internet access

• Caring communities of support

• Wish to serve others

www.StayingStrong.org

Landing Page

• Brief welcome video

• Link to “thank you’s”

• Click ID box (parent, student, professional)

• New user or return visitor

• Will ask for email (voluntary)– #1 reason is to help us get feedback– Also can opt to get the Home Base Program

newsletter

Staying Strong

.StayingStrong.org

• Parent directed learning

• Starts with the Visitor’s Guide

• Choose from: – 3 Parenting Principles Videos– 4 Stage of Development Videos– 8 Family Stories with Guidance– Home Base Community Center

Watch or visit in any order

Parenting Principles

• The Developmental Climb Video (PACT)

• Explains that each child is climbing with individual challenges plus the regular challenges at that age (backpack)

• Targets the role of loving parents in supporting a child’s resilience

• Touches on the importance of finding ways to relax and de-stress

Parenting Principles

• Talking with Your Child or Teen (video)

• Explains why communicating is key to enhancing resiliency

• Listening>Talking

• Being mindful of words and “music”

• Skill based

Parenting Principles

• Facing Challenges Together (video)

• Challenge: Difficult situation without a quick fix– Faced with the support of connected caring others– Builds important life skills – Results in greater self confidence and courage

• Traumas: Difficult situation without a quick fix– Surprise or out of control feeling– Faced feeling alone, isolated and helpless– Results in greater fear and insecurity

Underscores the risks of unidentified small “t” traumas

Stage of Development

Stages

• Preschool

• Elementary

• Middle School

• High School

• Each video has a parent worksheet– Reviews key points– “Stop and Reflect”: Asks parents to identify

behaviors and ideas for new approaches

8 Military Family Stories

• 10 minute videos

• Narrator describes the family

• Animation of a parent talking about their child with viewer seeing mostly the child

• Feedback targeted to the parent’s concern– Addresses child’s temperament– Offers targeted parenting strategies– Suggests ways to connect with the school

8 Military Families: Diverse

• Deployment status

• Family constellation

• Ethnicity

• Branch of service

• Different temperaments

• Different challenges

Preschool Families

• Shy Allie – Only child– Mother is back from deployment– Allie has increased separation anxiety

• Active Doug– New baby brother– Father back from deployment– Doug is more aggressive at preschool

Elementary Families

• Prickly Heidi– Youngest of three

– Father will be deploying soon

– Mother is worried about parenting her temperamentally challenging child solo

• Sensitive Matt– Younger brother (father has a teenage son)– Father will be deploying soon– Mother is worried about his anxiety

Middle School Families

• Reserved Bettina– Only child, parents divorced

– Her father is deployed

– Her mother is worried that she doesn’t talk and that she won’t know if there are problems

• Carefree Pete– Second of four children– His father is deployed – His mother is worried about his lower grades

High School Families• Social Whitney

– Younger sister, older brother married– Her father has returned with PTS– Her mother is worried about father and

daughter not re-connecting

• Alienated Terry– Younger brother, mother and step father– His older brother has recently deployed– His mother is worried about how isolated and

misunderstood he feels at school

When to Worry

• Each family story highlights some warning signs to encourage professional help

• Parents are always encouraged to trust their own judgment and NOT to worry alone

• This website does not offer medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should never replace professional assessment and care

Home Base Community Center

• Video connected activities and worksheets• Family Activities• Parenting information• School connected materials• Other resources and more

• Monthly Family Feature

• Community Conversation Forum

Evaluation is Important

• Who is entering and why

• Immediate feedback on each video– 4 star rating: unhelpful<****> very helpful– Would you recommend this to a friend

• End of visit feedback: Overall experience

• Email in 1-3 months: Lessons used/useful

Doing our best, until our best gets better

Some Special Challenges

• Community dispersion of the National Guard and Reserves

• Siblings of service members

• Limited access to resources in some locations

• Broader definition of family than the health insurance definition

10 worriers: 1 warrior

Applied Resiliency Support

• Parent Guidance Model

• Easily Adapted to Guiding Teachers, Coaches, etc. (Adults with continued connections with the child)

• Partnership (Lived Experience + Professional Experience)

• Access to targeted support (ex. analgesic use)

Support the Parents

• Address mental health issues

• Identify the “Go-To” support people– Emotional Support– School related concerns– Financial guidance– Health concerns– Child care support

Staying Strong 4 Educators

• Staying Strong: How Schools Build Resiliency in Military Families

• 25 minute documentary following 2 families during the father’s deployment and return and their attuned elementary school community

Head + Heart + Hand

• Quality information

• Enhanced by caring relationship

• Practical recommendations – Free

– Accessible

– Engaging

www.StayingStrong.org

Thank you

• prauch@partners.org

• Chat forum

• www.homebaseprogram.org