Lauren Tyrrell & Tamara Jennings - Barwon Health - ABI Families & Rural Resourcing: Thinking Outside the Square

ABI Families & Rural

Resourcing- Thinking Outside

the Square

Lauren Tyrrell and

Tamara Jennings

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

• Family to Family Link Up Program

o brings together families living with

brain injury

o a structured group program

• Train the trainer model

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

• Outcomes

• How it came about

• Family to Family (F2F)Link Up Program –BARWON

• Where to from here?

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES:

• All the families valued the opportunity to meet with other families living with ABI

• Listening to their children was powerful

• Importance of a facilitator “to keep us on track” and “make it comfortable”

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

PARENTS’ COMMENTS

“Not that we don’t value the professionals!!! But it’s great to speak with other people

who get it.”

“Now we don’t stress the little things like

other families do.”

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

OUTCOMES FOR PROFESSIONALS:

• Re-engaging with treating team

• Chance to work with the (whole) family

• An efficient way to add to our service

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

OUTCOMES:

“I’m not ok”

What message would you give workers?

“keep pushing…need help even if they say no”

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

OUTCOMES:

“I worry Dad will kill Mum.”

“I don’t have anyone to talk to.”

(Child)

“[I never knew] how much I have affected their/my kids lives, that my ABI has influenced

my family. ”

(Parent with ABI)

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

BACK TO THE BEGINNING- The Bouverie Centre(Brunswick, VIC)

• provides family therapy services• ABI Team established in 1984• developed Family to Family Link Up Program

(F2F)• run in groups, with 2 families

only, or via phone link-up

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

What is the Family To Family Link Up?

“The F2F link up program offers Victorian families who have a member (child or adult) with an ABI an opportunity to be linked up with each other to share their experiences and wisdoms in order to reduce isolation and increase access to information and support.” (The Bouverie Centre)

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

F2F Group Profile• Runs for 3-4hrs

• Families start and end the day together

• Break into groups in middle

1. Parent/s with ABI

2. Partners/ spouses

3. Children

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

‘Tree of Life’

• Developed by Ncazelo Ncube (2006) (psychologist working with vulnerable children in south Africa)

• Draws on the work of Michael White and David Denborough (Dulwich Centre)

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

‘Tree of Life’Flowers/ Seeds:Gifts, contributions the child

wants to pass onto others

Leaves:People who are important

to the child

Trunk:Skills & abilities

Roots:Where they come from eg. place, family of origin

Fruits:Gifts that the child has been given

Branches:Hopes, dreams & wishes

Ground:Where the child lives at present, current activities

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

‘Tree of Life’ Process

1. Drawing of Tree of Life

2. Forest of life – join together

3. Storms of Life – reflect on challenges

4. Celebrate – new knowledges & relationships

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

1. Drawing Trees

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

‘Tree of Life’

1. Drawing of Tree of Life

2. Forest of life – join together

3. Storms of Life – reflect on challenges

4. Celebrate – new knowledges & relationships

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

‘Tree of Life’

1. Drawing of Tree of Life

2. Forest of life – join together

3. Storms of Life – reflect on challenges

4. Celebrate – new knowledge's & relationships anger

worrychanges from ABI

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

‘Tree of Life’

1. Drawing of Tree of Life

2. Forest of life – join together

3. Storms of Life – reflect on challenges

4. Rainbows and Wisdoms – good things that can come out of hard times

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

Why F2F in Barwon?

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

Why F2F in Barwon?

• Clients and their families asked

• Barwon Health: Right Time Right Place

• Value add to services already available

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

• Who?

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

2014 - Geelong

DATES 14th May 2014 21st Aug 2014

Structure of Groups

• Children with ABI (not done before)

• Siblings• Parents

• Adults with ABI

• Partners• Children

No. of Families 3 4

Clinicians Trained

4 3

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

PROGRAM GOALS TO MEASURE:

Opportunity to:1. Meet with other families living with ABI 2. Share learnings and information about ABI3. Share with other families experiences and

wisdoms 4. Hear from children and siblings about their

experience 5. Learn more about my family and our experience

of ABI.

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

QUALITATIVE MEASURES:

• Pre program questionnaire

• Pre program COPM of goals

• On the day feedback (adult and child versions)

• Post program questionnaire

• Post program COPM scores

• Staff Feedback

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

Where to from here?

• Consolidate and progress

GEELONG

COLAC

WARRNAMBOOL

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

“It’s just such a good thing to be

with other families, people we can talk to. You guys did a

great job organising the whole day.

Especially the staff working with the children.” (Parent

Feedback, Group 2)

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

2015 F2F Road Show

ABI Families & Rural Resourcing

References:Butera-Prinzi, F., Charles, N., Heine, K., Rutherford, B., Lattin, D., ‘Family-to-Family Link Up Program: A community-based initiative supporting families caring for someone with an acquired brain injury,’ Neurorehabilitation 27 (2010) pp. 31-47.

Ncube, N. ‘The Tree of Life,’ International Journal of Narrative & Community Work 1 (2006) pp. 3-16.

www.dulwichcentre.com.au

www.bouverie.org.au