The Words of Change…Katherine Dillon’s blog – National Teen Self-Awareness Month

National Teen Self-Awareness Month…

The onslaught of Puberty…Adolescence is a challenging time for everyone at that stage in their lives.

Physical changes in the body, the onslaught of hormones developing in different ways, leading to new emotions and anxious feelings…. The human being’s first attempt at finding their place and position in the world around them.  Growing fast towards that first step into adulthood in an uncertain time.

Peer pressure has always been a significant factor in a teen’s life – as dependence on the primary carer or parent decreases.  The influence from peers and the wider circle becomes a very significant factor.  This influence can be a positive, however often a young person may be drawn towards strong characters, those who try to coerce and divide to encourage the distancing from the primary carer for their own objectives.

Today the impact of social media and the internet is huge. The world becomes smaller, the influences stronger which seem inescapable.  The pressure to conform to someone else’s views and idealology is constant.  On top of this increasingly worrying factor, the young people may be experiencing other pressures in daily life, key relationship break down, exams, managing parental expectations, or the opposite – a complete abandonment of their emotional needs being met at this time.

Given the right support and guidance, it is possible to work through this stage enabling a more resilient, independent self-reliant, caring individual to emerge.

Without this crucial nurturing and supportive guidance, it is more likely that a young person will develop a low self-esteem and a decreasing belief in themselves, thus being drawn to more risky behaviours and negative influences.

The desire to ‘fit in’ and be ‘one of the gang’ often leads the young person into experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol and drugs for the first time, introduced by their peers and outer circle influences like the wider or extended/blended family who may be already addicted to these substances.

Through naivety and the desire to please, these influences prey on teens’ misplaced trust.

Many of the teens (or young people) who are referred to The Seeds of Change are already on this path of self-destruction.  Having already been exposed to negative influences, leading to their deep and low-level self-confidence, manifesting itself in angry outbursts, defiance and aggression or at the opposite end of the scale; shutting down, fearful and looking only inwards. Often those individuals are the most difficult to reach, because the ability to express themselves has all but disappeared.  At least with anger and defiance, it is more straightforward to challenge, with due care, giving an opportunity leading to a more constructive dialogue to take place.

Our approach, always, is to acknowledge the young person’s story to date.  To understand more fully the key relationships in the young person’s life and to gain an insight into their character, their strengths and individualism.

By demonstrating a ‘Positive Parent’ role,  showing regard, respect and enabling a containing space we are able support, the young person is able to begin to explore their presenting issues. By encouraging a link to thoughts, feelings and behaviours, their emotions and feelings are validated.

The horse is key in this early part of forming what may be the young person’s first positive Adult/Child relationship. The horse gives space, time, and presence; he delivers non-judgmental feedback in the way in which he mirrors the young person’s feelings and subsequent actions.

The young person will often begin to talk when they are working with their horse, almost as the third person, finding it less challenging in the early part of their programme than to address the coach directly.  The Coach listens actively and responds carefully being mindful of the language used – often a young person will internalise what is being said to them even though it may appear to fall on deaf ears!

As the young person begins to understand how to interpret their feelings, they will be more able to cope with challenging situations they find themselves in and be able to make choices for themselves independently of other’s influences.

All humans need structure and routine, a safe base in which to grow out from.  At the stage of adolescence this is key to any successful outcome.  The need to explore new freedom should be encouraged and supported, but boundaries have to be in place.  Through working closely with the horse as the Co-Coach/third person, he most naturally instills the need for boundaries, working on the ground, task-setting and sometimes roleplay exercises, the opportunity arises for the young person to express feelings and emotion more openly, but with far less pressure placed on them than a traditional talking therapy environment.

Once trust is established, work can begin on supporting the young person to acknowledge their own abilities to make choices for themselves.  As this process develops, self-esteem and confidence will be developed naturally.  When this happens, the young person will realise that they have the skills and strengths to make safer, wiser, more informed and appropriate choices for themselves, thus developing into a more independent and resilient young adult.

Katherine Dillon is a Director and Founder of The Seeds of Change.  To find out more about her story, click here

Inside Katherine’s Kitchen – Cooking Together – Healthy Chilli recipe

 

Director Katherine Dillon demonstrating a simple, healthy recipe to encourage healthy cooking and eating with family and friends. Watch below:
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Chilli Meat and Vegetable /or meat free option to feed 6- 8 people.

This recipe will keep in fridge for 4-5 days.
It can be made into individual portions and frozen.

Ingredients
500g Lean beef mince (For Meat Chilli option)
1-2 onions
2 large sweet or white potatoes
2-3 carrots 2-3 sticks of celery
Half a small cauliflower.

Remember, you can use any vegetables you have in the house really, but the essential ones are onions and garlic! and the potatoes will help give a thick creamy consistency.

4-5 cloves of garlic or (use dried)
Tin of tomatoes or use chopped up fresh ones.
Tin of Black beans (rinsed).
1 Pint Beef or Vegetable stock
Chilli powder to taste
Paprika, Cumin,Tummerick (1 large tsp each) (All optional but really help your health and add to the taste)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method
Heat a little oil of your choice in a large pan, (About 2 tblsp) add the mince(If you are doing the meat option) Seal and brown the mince.
Remove from pan and put to one side.

Add all the vegetables that you have prepared (chopped into the size you want) into the pan with a little more oil, again just to seal in the flavours. Add the spices and herbs to ensure their flavour comes through.  You only need to slightly soften the vegetables, before adding the tomatoes,rinsed beans and stock(Use a vegetable stock cube if you are doing a meat free Chilli.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring to the boil, then simmer for around 45 minutes.

Taste to check flavour is how you want it to be. It is always better to add more than take away!

The Chilli should have thick and rich consistency when cooked through. If it is too thick, simply add some boiled water.

If you want the dish to feed even more people, simply chop some more of your chosen vegetables, cook separately in a saucepan until nearly cooked/drain and add to the Chilli…Simple!

Enjoy and remember, preparing and sharing nice food is the greatest way of showing gratitude, love and care for others,whilst looking after yourself too.

Katherine

Inside Katherine’s Kitchen – natural remedies – Tumeric, Garlic and Linseed

 

Director Katherine Dillon, delivering you information on diet, nutrition and the benefits that natural substances have for our equine partners.
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Watch her latest film here Inside Katherine’s Kitchen

New TSOC support line extended to all

During the last week of term we launched our Learner Line to enable those who attend our provision and are not able to currently access it the opportunity to “click or call” to contact us and arrange a telephone call to support them during such difficult times.

We would now like to go further and extend our offer to anyone who may be experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety at the present time within the Northants, Beds or Cambs regions where we work.

Katherine Dillon, who is a Co-Director of The Seeds of Change, has many years of experience in coaching young people and families who are looking for positive ways to manage their anxieties and stress levels. Katherine is now offering you the opportunity to talk through any stress or anxiety the the current pandemic has brought upon you or your family.

Although we traditionally work with horses as co-coaches at The Seeds of Change, our approach has pioneered strategies that can be used remotely to support individuals between their sessions enabling them to feel listened to and to assist in developing strategies to cope in everyday life.

This approach uses a technique called Motivational Intervention and is effective at enabling individuals to resolve their own issues through careful coaching and support.

It is this approach we would be offering to those who want to make use of it.

If you are struggling and want someone to talk to in a confidential and non-judgemental way, then Katherine is offering free 20 minute support sessions as part of The Seeds of Change desire to help manage trauma in our community.

If you would like to book a session with Katherine, please email, in the first instance, enquiries@theseeds.co.uk outlining your availability and contact details and Katherine will respond to you within a few hours with a suggested time slot.

All enquiries are dealt with in strict confidence and no contact information shared will be used for any other contact or purposes.

COVID 19 arrangements for closure and safeguarding young people

From 20th March 2020 parents were asked to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and for schools to remain open only for those children of workers critical to the COVID-19 response – who absolutely need to attend.

Educational providers were asked to provide care for a limited number of children – children who are vulnerable, and children whose parents are critical to the COVID-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.

Vulnerable young people

Vulnerable young people include those who have a social worker and those children and young people up to the age of 25 with education, health and care (EHC) plans.

Those who have a social worker include children who have a Child Protection Plan and those who are looked after by the Local Authority. A child may also be deemed to be vulnerable if they have been assessed as being in need or otherwise meet the definition in section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

Those with an EHC plan will be risk-assessed in consultation with the Local Authority and parents, to decide whether they need to continue to be offered a school or college place in order to meet their needs, or whether they can safely have their needs met at home. This could include, if necessary, carers, therapists or clinicians visiting the home to provide any essential services. Many children and young people with EHC plans can safely remain at home.

The Seeds of Change will continue to work with and support social workers to help protect vulnerable children. This includes working with and supporting social workers, carers and the local authority. The lead people for this will be: Jemma Fuccillo and Rachel Wiles. In their absence Rachael Frossell and Katherine White.

There is an expectation that vulnerable children who have a social worker will attend an education setting, so long as they do not have underlying health conditions that put them at risk. In circumstances where a parent/carer does not want to bring their child to our setting, and their child is considered vulnerable, the social worker will explore the reasons for this directly with the parent and communicate this with The Seeds of Change in the normal way.

Where parents/cares are concerned about the risk of the child contracting COVID19, The Seeds of Change or the social worker will talk through these anxieties with the parent/carer following the advice set out by Public Health England.

The Seeds of Change will encourage our vulnerable children and young people to attend their sessions, including remotely if needed.

Attendance monitoring

The Seeds of change will monitor attendance, communicate this with the Local authorities and education settings. Attendance for Luton Local Authority is through the mechanism of CPOMS.

In all circumstances where a vulnerable child does not attend their session, or discontinues, The Seeds of Change will notify the referring body or point of contact for the young person.

The optimal scenario is to have a trained DSL (or deputy) available on site. Where this is not the case a trained DSL (or deputy) will be available to be contacted via phone or online video – for example when working from home.

Where a trained DSL (or deputy) is not on site, a senior leader will assume responsibility for co-ordinating safeguarding on site.  This will be Lisa Hobbs & Sam Tompkins. These staff members are also qualified to deputise having attended the Working Together Course and continued Safeguarding CPD.

This might include updating and managing access to child protection online management system, CPOMS and liaising with the offsite DSL (or deputy) and as required liaising with referring bodies.

The DSL will continue to engage with all referring bodies which can be done remotely.

Reporting a concern

Where coaches have a concern about a young person, they should continue to follow the process outlined in the Seeds of Change Safeguarding Policy, this includes making a report via CPOMS (only applies to ALPS learners) which can be done remotely.

In the unlikely event that a member of staff cannot access their CPOMS from home, they should email the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will ensure that the concern is received by the referring body. Coaches are reminded of the need to report any concern immediately and without delay.

Safeguarding Training and induction 

DSL training is very unlikely to take place whilst there remains a threat of the COVID 19 virus.

For the period COVID-19 measures are in place, a DSL (or deputy) who has been trained will continue to be classed as a trained DSL (or deputy) even if they miss their refresher training.

All existing coaches have had safeguarding training and have read part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019). The DSL will continue to communicate updates to the rest of the organisation.

Online safety 

The Seeds of Change will continue to provide a safe environment, including online. This includes a 15 minute remote coaching session – see Procedure for Remote coaching session. The Seeds of Change will share messages on its website and social media pages.

Supporting young people on site

The Seeds of Change is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its students.  As an organisation we will continue to be a safe space for all young people to attend and flourish. The Seeds of Change will refer to the Government guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement social distancing and continue to follow the advice from Public Health England on hand washing and other measures to limit the risk of spread of COVID19.

Key Contacts:

Jemma Fuccillo- DSL

Rachel Wiles- Deputy SO

Rachael Frossell- Deputy SO