Circle of Security Parenting (COSP)
Circle of Security Parenting is early intervention program that offers tools to strengthen bonds with your children and help them feel more secure. You’ll discover ways to develop your child’s self-esteem and their ability to forge health relationships both within and outside the family. It is for parents and carers of children aged 0 to 12 years old who would like to develop secure relationship bonds with their children to help them thrive. It is encouraged that parents in the Perinatal period wait until your baby is 6-12 months of age before enrolling in the program. The program helps you to identify the ways children signal their need for greater connection and emotional support, and how you can meet those needs effectively. Research has shown that secure children have higher self-esteem and are kinder to those around them. Weekly workshops are held online/in person for eight to 12 participants. Through information, group discussions, self-reflection, and goal setting, you’ll see how your child’s behaviour reflects their needs, and build skills to support those needs during the easy times, and the hard ones. This program goes for 8 weeks and each session is 2 hours.
More information about this program can be accessed via the Circle of Security International (COSI) website.
Tuning Into Kids
Tuning in to Kids® is a parenting program that focuses on the emotional connection between parents/carers and their children, from pre-schoolers to teens. The evidence-based programs have proven success in improving parenting, parent-child relationships and children’s emotional competence and behaviour. It is for parents of children aged two to 10 years of age. Tuning in to Kids® provide a new way of working with families that focuses on the emotional connection between parents and children. The programs aim to teach parents and carers skills in recognising, understanding and managing their own and their children’s emotions. Parents and carers are encouraged to accept, validate and empathise with their child’s emotions, help reflect upon or name the emotions being experienced, and if necessary, assist the child to work through the emotion and problem solve.
When parents and carers respond to children’s emotions in ways that validate and accept emotions but still guide them with appropriate behaviour, children learn important skills in emotional intelligence. Over time children use these skills in all aspects of their lives. Emotional intelligence helps children to be more resilient so that when they face challenging experiences they can talk about their feelings and work through these experiences. Emotional intelligence helps prevent mental health problems, and learning these skills can reduce mental health difficulties if they are occurring.
More information about this program can be accessed via the TIK website.