Lions Den thought provoking Research.
A group of 6 female NHS and local Authority professionals which included
1 social worker
2 psychologists
3 DBT therapist
4 Mental health Nurse
5 School teacher
6 Psychologist
Then a group of 6 male builders and bushtucker survival instructor.
1 joiner
2 brick layers
3 Electrician
4 plumbers
5 Bush tucker
6 Survival expert
Task
Both groups were tasked to speak to a group of children. They would use their skills to engage the child in conversation. The aim was to find the strengths of the children and then come up with a plan that would help the children progress in life.
Results
CHILDS VOICE - The children felt that the NHS and local Authority 'staired at them showing no emotions'. The children reported feeling anxious because they knew that the professional would document what they said on the system. After that everyone in their life would read about it. One child stated that it stops you moving on because they bring it up time and time again, it’s like a grudge that they hold. The children reported 'feeling anxious' because they were` with a person who could hurt them and their families if they say the wrong thing. 'I was made to feel SHAME'
The children reported to be comfortable and enjoyed the jokes and laughter with the builders and survival professionals. The children felt like they were more relaxed and non-threatening, one child spoke about how they felt like they could talk to them about anything. The children also felt like they were understood and felt happy and not anxious. One child said they listen, and it felt like they cared.
Lion Den Learning
We found that the local Authority and NHS had a strong opinion and got angry when some did not agree with them. They felt that their knowledge and experience were far superior to that of a builder, bush tucker instructor, a child’s voice or a parent. The professionals felt that they knew best and found it hard to take on a different opinion. The professionals felt that years in the job and going to university meant that they needed to be listened to and that the parents’ builders and survival experts were not child specialists.
The builders approached the child in a nurturing way and viewed them as kids who needed support without a high opinion of themselves. Instead of quoting past negative experiences in the child’s life, they stated it’s just a kid who needs our support and focused on strengths. The Builders and bush tucker instructors did not pretend to know everything, and they did not tell the kids how to think. instead, they supported the child by telling them what they thought they were good at and made jokes. The builders lived in the moment and focused more on understanding the child, this aloud the builders and bush tucker instructors to be fully present in the moment and listen. The children picked up on the genuineness and this made the relationship stronger.
Agency for change
This research showed that a nurturing approach increased relationship-based practice and trust. The builders and bush tucker instructors focused on the strengths of the child and supported in a genuine non-judgmental matter. The builders did not make the child scared of writing something negative on their life story because the Lion’s Den is strength based. The children did not have to worry about professionals bringing up past experiences every week. This led to the child feeling valued and like they could make meaningful change. One child said I could finally speak about how I feel. I felt like someone wanted to talk to me and not seek information.
CHILDS VOICE - all they do is call me bad on meetings, then go round and call me to everyone in my life. After they finish calling me to everyone, they say that they want to help me and expect me to like and trust them. One child stated that the approach gave them mental health because everyone was going round calling them. After the professional ask why they were ill, the child was too scared to say it was them that did it. All the children stated that they felt shame from the approach. one child stated the shame was so strong I can’t pick myself up.
My Opionion
I found this research thought provoking. It showed the barriers that are created when communicating with young people. This research gave me an amazing insight into the brain of a child that has had services involved in their life. Services should be there to help but, in this case, it has created anxiety and communication barriers. This was not why professionals got in the job. Each professional is there because they are passionate about helping children.
As professionals we must be agency for change, and we must be mindful of the impact our work has on a child. Children must feel safe to talk and not be made to feel shame. Perhaps the way we approach a child and the way we speak about them to other professionals needs to be revisited with a healthier pair of eyes. I say healthy eyes because I feel that this is a sign that the system may or may not be working as intended. if this approach causes shame and mental health difficulties that impact on their brain development. surly we are creating a problem that we did not set out to do. Another barrier that we found was the ego of the professional. In their opinion they were always right? does that always right attitude create a barrier to change and a barrier to the professional seeing the negative impact on the child as well as ignoring the voice of the child?
I found this a very powerful voice of the child. The lion’s Den will continue to passionately carry out research and share the results that are the voice of the child. We will continue to be strength based in are work with Georgia's approach.
“We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling. Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy.”― Carl Gustav Jung