BB4K support for children aged 5-11
Our bespoke programme helps children aged 5-11 years and their parent to come to terms with experiencing a family breakdown. The BB4K programme consists of a 6-10 week children’s course and parents’ course run simultaneously by trained professionals.
The aim of the children’s course is to raise children’s self-esteem and to give them an opportunity to explore and express their feelings through fun, child-focused activities, in a safe therapeutic way. The aim of the parents’ course is to empower them and validate their parental role.
BB4K also offers play therapy to help children explore their feelings, express themselves and make sense of their life experiences. Play is children’s natural medium to learn, communicate and to explore their worlds. Conventional talking therapies may be inappropriate for children and young people who struggle to put their feelings into words. Play therapy allows children the opportunity to explore and understand these feelings through play at their own pace without interrogation or judgement. Play therapy sessions are led by the child with no direction by the therapist around any particular subject.
About the children’s course
The BB4K children’s course helps children to:
- Address issues such as volatile or withdrawn behaviour
- Understand what to do to keep themselves safe
- Improve their attendance and approach to learning in school
- Make positive choices in the future
The children’s course helps children in so many ways and contributes towards breaking the cycle of domestic abuse and ensuring children can have a safe future. Each week focuses on a different topic designed to empower and facilitate the healing process for children.
Thank you for letting me come to talk about my feelings, play games and have lots of fun. I wish we could all come again!
BB4K child
I have learnt a lot and feel that I am more confident as a parent and in myself generally.
BB4K parent
The parachute games were fun
BB4K child
It has made our home much happier and calmer. We speak more and have special time together.
BB4K parent
I liked playing with the play dough
BB4K child
My relationship with Scott has strengthened and I am beginning to understand what my children’s behaviour is communicating.
BB4K parent
I made new friends
BB4K child
I have seen Sarah increasing in confidence, more able to share her concerns with me and understands that she is not responsible for others’ behaviour.
BB4K parent
About the parents’ course
What makes BB4K so successful is that the parents’ course runs simultaneously with the children’s course and focuses on the same topics that the children are learning each week.
This enables the adult to understand what their child is learning and reinforce this in the home environment. It encourages them to look at domestic abuse through the eyes of the child and continue practising the techniques they have learned for long–term benefits to the child.
Often people who have been in abusive relationships have had their parenting undermined and their confidence and self-worth diminished. Therefore rebuilding the bond between parent and child is a key goal in moving forward with the healing process for both of them.
Children whose parents take part in the course and who use the techniques at home have an enhanced therapeutic experience as their involvement is invaluable towards supporting their children.
The parents’ course provides opportunities for parents to become less isolated and to gain a greater understanding of how best to support their children. If parents are given the opportunity to be heard, believed and to be able to express their feelings, then they are more able to support their children in the same way.
The BB4K programme for this age group is a closed group, and participation is by referral only (we do accept self-referrals). Please see our referrals page for further details.
If you would like to know more about the support BB4K can offer, please get in touch with a member of the team at BB4K@pactcharity.org.
