Alexandra Family Group

This exciting project started at Alexandra in Autumn 09. The family group runs following the principles of the Marlborough Family Service, an NHS organisation with a well-established reputation for supporting children and families.

The group is made up of eight families. The child attends each week with a parent or other significant adult in the family. Children displaying a range of needs, at home or at school, will benefit from the group. These needs might include: Persistent refusal to follow instructions Aggressive and defiant behaviour Displays of anxiety or unhappiness Problems in making friends Children who are isolated or withdrawn Difficulties with independence or self-care skills

The group is jointly led by a teacher from the school and a therapist from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service). Each session begins with a chance for the parents to meet informally, catching up on the week over a cup of tea. Then the children join the group. Each child talks about the previous week and any progress they have made towards their home or school targets. This provides an opportunity for the family to celebrate recent progress, to exchange views with other families and develop new strategies together for managing difficult situations.Then children and parents spend time together on an activity, for example cookery, art and crafts, parachute games etc. The session finishes with a reflection on how the activity went.

The group runs every week during term. Families need to commit to at least six weeks of attendance. At the end of a six-week period a review meeting will look at progress against any targets. A family may choose to leave the group if they feel good progress has been made. However, families often choose to continue their involvement, both to build on their progress and to make their expertise available to other families in difficulty. In multi-family groups, families can build on each other’s resources, share advice and information and reduce the isolation often experienced in dealing with a difficulty alone.

Some parents’ views of their experience in a Marlborough Family Group:
“ The children as well as me were looking forward to the meetings. We felt like an enlarged family.”

“I have changed. My strength as a mother has blossomed.”

“My son’s behaviour in school has become very positive. His attention span, concentration and attitude to school have all improved.”

If you would like to learn more about this project, please contact Ivan Talbott, the teacher responsible for the Alexandra Family Group, by email: office@alexandra-school.co.uk