Increasing resilience in children who have a parent in prison through the use of the Good Heart Model

Abstract

“B.Venture” Northumbrian project started in 2011. It is funded for three years by the Big Lottery, delivered by the University of Sunderland and Barnardos Orchard Mosaic. B Venture allows an opportunity to work with children and families who have a parent or partner in Prison. In 2005, it was estimated by the Centre for Prison Studies that there were 160,000 children in the UK with a parent in prison. Children with imprisoned parents frequently experience a variety of physical and mental problems such as depression, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, sleep problems, eating disorders, running away, truancy, and poor school grades (Rosenberg, J, 2009), bereavement, negative social impact, fear, trauma, poverty, stress, low self esteem, unidentified capacity, strengths and resources and low resilience. B Venture consists of a variety of therapeutic activities; Adventure weekends, group counseling sessions, video and photographic diary exercises which have been documented for exhibition. This will comprise of the creative work explored and developed, highlighting the growth and development of the individual, leading to a decrease in anti-social and challenging behavior, an improvement in mental and emotional health, an ability to identify capacity, strength and resources, an increase in self esteem and resilience, a new improved development of family relations and an opportunity to tell their thoughts, feelings, experiences and stories to an audience. This paper details the effectiveness of a previously developed research model; The Good Heart Model (GHM, Hani, M, 2012). The GHM uses Animation in a therapeutic and applied nature whilst working within a new area of research. Integrating the aims of HEART (Healing Education Animation Research Therapy) (Hani, M, 2010), ‘To offer unconditional positive regard, a person centered approach, to engage in work that contributes to emotional, physical and educational development, health and well-being, to provide an inclusive, equal, empathic, non-judgmental, supportive, safe environment for participants and team members to grow, heal and develop individually, to bring, encourage and explore creativity, to recognize and respect that each person has a value and worth and the capacity for positive growth and development, to provide a platform to express and communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings’ highlights the structured approach and outcomes