A CHILD IN CRISIS NEEDS HELP!
What
kind of help and how it is given make a crucial difference between
the child's learning from the experience or being setback. The Therapeutic
Crisis Intervention training program for child and youth care staff
presents a crisis prevention and intervention model designed to teach
staff how to help children learn constructive ways to handle crisis.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words!
By their example, child and youth care staff shape the behavior and influence the
growth of the young people in their care. At no time is this issue more important
than during periods of crisis and upset. The skills, knowledge, and professional
judgment of staff in reacting to crises are critical factors in helping young people
learn constructive and adaptive ways to deal with frustration, failure, anger,
rejection, hurt, and depression. The ability of the entire organization to respond
effectively to staff and young people in crisis situations is also critical in
establishing not only a safe environment, but one that promotes growth and
development.
WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC CRISIS INTERVENTION?
The
purpose of the TCI project is to provide a crisis prevention and intervention
model for residential child care facilities which will assist an organization
in:
-
Preventing
crises from occurring
-
De-escalating
potential crises
-
Effectively
managing acute crisis phases
-
Reducing
potential and actual injury to children and staff
-
Learning
constructive ways to handle stressful situations
-
Developing
a learning circle within the organization
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM TCI TRAINING?
Anyone working with children where kids
may become escalated or agitated in large group settings can benefit
from the skills taught in this training. Working with kids in group homes,
residential childcare facilities, foster care, day care, youth groups
and other group-type settings all can present circumstances where adequate
crisis intervention skills and strategies are necessary.
COURSE CONTENT
DAY ONE
Crisis as Opportunity
Crisis is defined
and ways that adults can prevent a crisis situation are identified.
Participants are taught how to maintain self-control in preventing
or handling a crisis through awareness of personal feelings and values,
the young person's needs and wants, and environmental effects on
behavior.
Topics covered include:
- The
stress model of crisis
- Intervention approaches
- Self-Awareness
- Awareness
of the young person
- Awareness of the environment
- Assessing
the situation
Triggering and Escalation
Verbal
and nonverbal techniques for crisis prevention are presented. Participants
are shown that if these techniques are used before an incident
escalates to a crisis, the situation can be de-escalated and
young people can be taught alternative behaviors to acting out.
Topics
covered include:
- Verbal crisis communication
- Nonverbal
crisis communication
- Behavior management
- Avoiding
crisis strategies
- Protective
interventions
DAY TWO
Escalation, Outburst and Recovery
Life
Space Interviewing techniques are taught. The rationale for
safety interventions is explained and situations when restraint should
and should not be used are discussed. The use of various physical
intervention techniques is discussed and practiced.
Topics
covered include:
- Life Space Interviewing
- I
ASSIST (non-confrontational limit setting)
- Safety
interventions
- Team
restraint
- Small
child restraint
- Breaking up fights
- Standing
hold
- Recovery
process
DAY THREE
Outburst and Recovery
Participants
practice Life Space Interviewing, are taught safety issues, and have
opportunities to practice the use of various physical intervention
techniques.
Topics covered include:
- Three
person restraint
- Transferring control
- Responding
to feelings versus behavior
- Crisis intervention
role plays
Implementing
the TCI System
Safety
issues are explained, and documentation requirements
and the elements of the TCI system are reviewed. All participants
are tested for certification.
Topics covered include:
- Safety
issues
- Recovery for staff
- Documentation
- TCI
system
- Evaluation
and testing
