‘Children in care’ have been identified nationally as a group of infants, children and adolescents whose mental health needs are much greater than those of the general population as the result of their early life experiences. Many of these children are affected by trauma, and they consequently struggle forming and/or maintaining relationships, and lack resilience and constructive coping strategies.
Dr Esmoreit Sleyster has extensive experience of working with the mental health and well-being needs of these very vulnerable and complex children, and all of the specialist services Child Psychology Sussex provides are informed by ‘trauma and attachment’ theory and practise. In addition, Dr Sleyster has completed the level 2 specialist training qualification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), working with children. She has also trained in using the Complex Resource Model, and both models have proven to be effective in the treatment of trauma and anxiety.
Dr Sleyster has worked in specialist roles with children in care for many years. In the NHS and in private practice she has worked extensively with children in residential care and their carers. Latterly, Dr Sleyster has worked at Outcomes First Group and National Fostering Group, in the roles of Regional Head Children’s Clinical services and Clinical Lead for national Bridge to Foster (a step-down specialist service).
Child Psychology Sussex is dedicated to working in partnership with the Health and Education Authorities, Social Services, Independent Reviewing Officers, CAFCASS, Independent Foster Care Organisations and Residential Care Homes and other statutory and non-statutory organisations to deliver effective support, assessment and therapeutic interventions for children in care and to help stabilise and preserve their placements.
Services on offer are:
A. Therapeutic support services offered to this client group include:
- Assessments and interventions to children who are subject to Child Protection Plans
- Assessments of children in Care Proceedings
- Therapeutic Assessment and Support in foster care
- Therapeutic Assessment and Interventions with young people in residential care
- Therapeutic Support for adopted children and adoptive parents
- Therapeutic Support for Children in Care and adopted children in school
B. Consultation and training to Foster Carers, Supervising Social Workers, and staff in Independent Residential Children’s Homes
C. Consultation and training to education staff working with Children in Care
The benefits of our service input are manifold:
- High quality, evidence-based and effective interventions
- Opportunities to evaluate input and placement outcomes
- Significant added value to a placement package
- Fewer placement breakdowns and longer placement length
- Attractive support package when bidding for placements
- Demonstrated compliance with OFSTED Children’s Homes Regulations Standard 7.22
- Increased job-satisfaction, staff morale and reduced staff turnover
Services are developed to individual needs and organisational budgets, and we evaluate our input throughout.
Please get in touch for further information on this service or to make a referral.