Services

Our services

We have extensive experience of working with children and families; schools and community groups; voluntary and statutory services. We will respond to each request for support personally and without delay. We ensure high professional standards of practice with clinical supervision, child safeguarding and mandatory policy and procedural compliancy throughout.

Child and Family

Whether you’re a parent facing unimaginable life changing circumstances with your child. Or one who simply wants to know how to do the best they can in daily family life. We can guide you step by step so you can do all you wish you could.

Bereavement Care/ Support

• Children and young people need their families and those in their lives to understand the impact that separation, illness, trauma and dying can have on their lives. It is now widely and wisely believed there is much we can do to acknowledge, reach out and support. When children within their family and community context are considered, included and given the care they need they can be supported to adapt to the changed relationships and loss situations they may have to face.
• As each loss is unique we will create an individual support response with you for your child and your family situation.
• These personalised supports will be delivered in the comfort of your own home and may include family sessions, parent and child session, individual child or sibling supports. A suitable alternative venue can be found if home based services are not desired. Phone and Video Call options are also available.

Marte Meo Therapy

Marte Meo means “on one’s own strength” and it is a powerful way to show the skills a child has, what they need help with and how those in the child’s life can provide the support required.

• Marte Meo is a therapeutic process that shows parents how they can support and enjoy their child’s wellbeing by establishing secure relationships from birth throughout childhood. Marte Meo is a video based approach that gives parents and carers detailed easy to see information on their child’s development and support needs.
• Parent’s and carer’s have many questions and Marte Meo gives individual step by step detailed guidance. Showing all they can do, when they can do it and explaining how and why these responses support their child’s development.
• Short video recordings are made of daily situations of the child and family in the family home. These moments are analysed by the therapist to make a professional diagnosis and later shared with the parent or carer as opportunities for specific information and practice points. Further videos are made to build on what the child and family need and want.

“In everyday life, there are many opportunities to support the development of children and adults. In Marte Meo, we make these moments visible opportunities to give children and adults a “golden gift” they will benefit on for their entire life”.

Maria Aarts. The Golden Gift. 2020.

Anamcara “End of Life” Compassionate Companionship

• Anamcara is a phrase that refers to the beautiful Celtic concept of the “Soul Friend”. Deepening the quality of relationships and bringing compassionate companionship through all stages of Living and Dying.
• The Anamcara offers a unique kind of spiritual support for people who are in a state of change or crisis. The Anamcara is trained to honour the uniqueness of each individual’s needs, free from any personal or organisational agenda. This tradition of “Spiritual Midwife” has always been associated with End of Life Care. Bringing opportunity, hope and healing to the distinctive kind of emotional and spiritual distress that shows up for individuals and families at this time.
• What Matters Most has developed a meaningful way for people of any age to acknowledge honour and celebrate special relationships. We can guide and support important conversations so that nothing important is left unsaid.
• In times of uncertainty from ill health, trauma or separation there is so much that can be done. Letting those that matter most, know how you feel and keeping families connected even if they cannot be together.

Schools and Community Groups

Information, support and guidance for pro active bereavement care, crisis response and personalised memorial work. We will work creatively with you to establish and support a Bereavement Friendly Ethos in your School, Club or Community Groups.

Consultation

• Emergency Consultation, step by step guidance and hands on support: For those in lead roles when responding to and informing on recent loss, death or traumatic events. A phone consultation followed by an individual or small group support session to plan and prepare what needs to be done, who can do it, when, where and with whom.

Support Packages

• Acknowledge, Understand and know what can help: Initial phone consultation followed by three targeted support sessions for staff, parents and pupils.
• Remembering together: Initial phone consultation with the additional sessions of information and support for staff, parent and pupil groups. Further guidance and facilitation to give each school the opportunity and confidence to plan and create their own fitting memorial.
• Project Stone Mad: A creative grief support initiative to acknowledge loss, love, hope and remembrance. Project Stone Mad is a quirky and meaningful grief support opportunity built on the recent emergence of stone art and based on current bereavement theory and frameworks of care. We will create, deliver and manage a bespoke Stone Mad project for you. When we prompt conversation, action and awareness we give rise to community solidarity and support so those grieving feel less alone.

Training

• Be Bereavement Aware: One hour introductory session for Schools, Colleges, Community and Business groups. To guide them in creating a grief and loss aware environment following Covid 19.
• Understanding Loss and Grief, the next step: Three hours of tailor made training and support for Schools, Colleges and Voluntary and Statutory groups. A deeper look at grief, loss and bereavement care. Providing an overview of the theoretical models of grief, the impact grief can have and current frameworks of supports.

Voluntary and Statutory Agencies

We welcome referrals and interagency partnerships with professional organisations. We offer prompt services for children and families whom you have identified as needing specialist Bereavement Care, Marte Meo Therapy and Anamcara “End of Life” Compassionate Companionship.

Bereavement Care

• Sudden or Traumatic Deaths: We can respond immediately to referrals where there has been a sudden and unexpected death in the family. We will compassionately support and guide families on how best to inform and include the children and young people involved. When children within their family and community context are considered, included and given the timely care they need they can be supported to adapt to the loss situations and changed relationships they may have to face.
• Child and Family Work: As each loss is unique we will create an individual support response with and for you. Children and families experiencing significant loss need a safe supported space to explore their thoughts, feelings, questions and concerns. They need acknowledgment and age appropriate information to help them understand the impact of the loss on themselves and those surrounding them.
• Our bereavement supports are community and home based (alternative venues can be used if necessary). We work with extended families, families, parents and children, individual child or siblings groups. As grief has no timeline we work with families for as long as you and they need or want us to.

Marte Meo Therapy

• Family work: Marte Meo is a video, strengths based therapeutic approach that gives parents and carers detailed easy to see information on their child’s development and support needs. Parent’s and carer’s have many questions and Marte Meo gives individual step by step guidance. Showing all that they can do, when they can do it and explaining how and why this supports their child’s development.
• Marte Meo is used in a wide range of family and community settings to give parents, carers and professionals detailed and guided information so they can support important developmental steps. By showing how and when to respond to a child’s needs the necessary connections that build relationships and secure attachments can be made. The Marte Meo film and review process gives parent, carer’s and professionals the best chance to see the uniqueness of the child in front of them and to understand their essential role in the child’s life.
• Children and Young People: The Marte Meo film and review process can be used in direct work with children and young people. To show them the skills and unique strengths they already have and to support them to see, practice and develop additional skills and positive communications patterns.

Anamcara “End of Life” Compassionate Companionship

• The Anamcara Apprentice is trained to honour the uniqueness of each individual’s needs emerging from change or crisis, free from any personal or organisational agenda. This tradition of “Spiritual Midwife” has always been associated with End of Life Care. Bringing opportunity, hope and healing to the distinctive kind of emotional and spiritual distress that shows up for individuals and families at this time.
• In times of uncertainty from ill health, trauma or separation there is so much that can be done. We can support families to maintain connections and let those that matter most know how they feel, even if they are distanced and cannot be together.
• What Matters Most has developed a meaningful way for people of any age to acknowledge honour and celebrate special relationships. We can guide and support important conversations so that nothing important is left unsaid.