Pro-Social Modelling When Working with Children and Families

Delivered by

Joanna Foster

Biography

Format options

In Person | Online

Duration options

6 hrs (1 day)

Variations

This training can be adapted for parents and carers including foster carers, and further bespoke elements can be added on request.

Content Summary:

Pro-Social Modelling (PSM) was developed in the 1960s, yet despite the intervening decades of research that have evidenced its effectiveness in behaviour change, it continues to be a much misunderstood and under-used model in direct work with children and families. This one-day course addresses this gap in knowledge, allowing delegates to apply PSM theory to their everyday practice.

PSM requires practitioners to be clear on their role, relationship and use of authority when working with clients, meaning practitioner reflection is a core part of this one-day course. Through a series of individual exercises, group discussions and case studies, delegates begin to identify areas where they may be unintentionally modelling the very behaviours that cause harm and concern amongst their clients.

The theoretical base and practical exercises used throughout the course allow delegates to have a better understanding of the skills needed to bring about behaviour change in their clients. These can be applied immediately in their direct work with children, teenagers and families.

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Bespoke Training

Training delivered by

Joanna Foster

After graduating from the University of Oxford, Joanna gained over sixteen years’ experience of working in the public, charitable and voluntary sectors, including ten years managing the London Fire Brigade’s firesetting intervention scheme for children and teenagers. As manager, Joanna worked with hundreds of London’s most at-risk children and families, re-shaping the intervention scheme in line with statutory requirements to ensure the highest possible standards for clients and staff. Using her working knowledge and training in children’s safeguarding and wellbeing, Joanna worked closely with the London Child Protection Committee to introduce juvenile firesetting behaviour into the London Child Protection Procedures for the first time.

Joanna delivers training, consultancy and supervision services to front-line organisations. She continues to work directly with children and teenagers who set fires, including accepting referrals from public sector bodies. Joanna’s professional clients include practitioners from the NHS, CAMHS, HMPPS, YOT, forensic psychology, fire services, police, education, social care, academia, arts therapies, secure units, mental health services and charities. She has also trained practitioners overseas and developed and delivered workshops and webinars tailored specifically to parents and carers. Although specialising in juvenile firesetting, Joanna’s work and studies enable her to deliver training that covers the spectrum of children, families and practitioners needs. As a result, Joanna has spoken at national and international conferences in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, New Zealand and the US on the subjects of juvenile firesetting and children’s safeguarding.

Joanna has a Post Graduate Certificate (PGC) in Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health, and a Master’s in Applied Criminology, Penology and Management at the University of Cambridge. Achieving distinction status and receiving four awards from the University of Cambridge for her studies, her thesis explored the identification of risk and need when addressing child firesetting. Joanna’s first book ‘Children and Teenagers Who Set Fires: Why they do it and how to help’ was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in 2019. In 2021 she was awarded ‘Training Provider of the Year’ by the Fire and Excellence Emergency Awards, receiving several nominations for the title.