Thanks Rick and Lee - very inspiring words... I am feeling so much more encouraged!
Yes the philosophy is here to stay, but the staff aren't always - never a truer word spoken!
Cheers
:)
Hi Lorraine,
I would imagine that your staff don't believe that they have experienced good examples of these discussions themselves and may not feel confident that they are moving the discussion down the right path of thought. Β I would recommend that one step toward encouraging improvement in discussions (even discussions that go along with the current consequences process) would be to train your staff in reflective listening skills. Β Even asking the youth how they feel about the consequence will give the youth a focal point to center their reaction. Β They may find that they can voice why the consequence doesn't fit. Β
I'm guessing that if you start with this, two things will happen. Β First, your staff might start identifying where safe changes can be made and, second, the youth will start seeing the safe moment to speak and reflect. Β Some guided reflection could be useful too. . . .
Hi,
If you aren't familiar with the Building Bridges Initiative, I would suggest you check out their webiste since they have some resources and products that you might be able to use with your staff.Β http://www.buildingbridges4youth.org/.
Hope this is helpful!
The Explosive Child is an excellent resource. Β
Thank you for the Ross Greene link. I just looked him up and it sounds as if his approach is very similar to our nonviolent child raising philosophy (www.echoparenting.org). Nice to know there are other people around the country doing this work. I heard Bessel van der Kolk say the same thing about consequences and how they obviously don't work with these kids (or any kids for that matter, if you're looking to foster emotional intelligence and an inner locus of control rather than blind obedience). Bessel will be at our Changing the Paradigm conference March 5 & 6, 2015 for anyone who is able to get to Los Angeles.
Ross Greene's collaborative problem solving approach works really well with adolescents and younger kids. You can look him up on line and watch videos of the practice. We use it in our programs with kids with considerabe trauma histories. He also is clear that consequences just don't work for these kids or they would have changed already.
We need a more enlightened understanding of the death penalty. Actor Jeremy Irons explains.
βWhen another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending.β β ThΓch NhαΊ₯t HαΊ‘nh
Something Civilized Countries Have Done Away With. Except the United States.
/Originally Posted by Robert Olcott:
As a "Youthful Offender" (No permanent Criminal Record), I had an index card on the wall of my prison cell, with a quote from someone whose name I do not now recall:
"To Punish a Man, you must injure him; To Reform a Man, you must improve him; and Men are not improved by Injuries."
If your favorite Librarian has access to Bartlett's Familiar Quotations...I just asked my favorite Librarian, who "googled" it, and is e-mailing it to me. The actual Quote is from George Bernard Shaw, but it appears in a Book about Philosophical Perspectives on Punishment edited by Gertrude ______. He's e-mailing me with particulars including the link. I'll try to get back to you, as the Library (and this public access computer terminal) is about to close.
Originally Posted by Lorraine O'Toole:
Hi all
I'm wondering if anyone has come across any readings that talk about using consequences with traumatised youth to address behavioural concerns. I manage a residential group home for young people and we use the Sanctuary model as a philosophy and a therapeutic care framework. We have set house guidelines etc and then consequences in place for breaches of these. But we see that this is a very punitive approach and are currently trialling a system that gives a choice to the young person of having the consequence or a conversation about the behaviour. It is still in the early stages and I was hoping to get some readings to give to staff as 'evidence' that consequences are really not very effective with traumatised kids. My staff generally respond better when here is proof instead of 'just some other idea that management are putting in'.
Any help is appreciated!
Cheers
I like Julian Ford's TARGET and FREEDOM steps (From the University of Connecticut)