Interpersonal Skills For At Risk Children Youth And Families Training

Objectives:
• Define at-risk children, youth, and families within the South African context.
• Identify key risk factors and protective factors influencing their development.
• Explain the importance of interpersonal skills in working with this population.
• Demonstrate active listening and basic empathetic communication.
• Establish rapport-building techniques for initial engagement.

Topics:
• Characteristics and needs of at-risk children, youth, and families.
• Risk and protective factors: poverty, trauma, substance abuse, family dysfunction.
• Overview of interpersonal skills: empathy, active listening, non-verbal communication.
• Barriers to effective communication with at-risk populations.
• Cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity in South Africa.
• Self-awareness and personal biases in professional relationships.

Objectives:
• Apply verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to build trust.
• Use open-ended questions and reflective listening to explore client perspectives.
• Adapt communication styles to different age groups and cultural backgrounds.
• Manage communication with resistant or defensive clients.
• Practice de-escalation techniques in challenging interactions.

Topics:
• Verbal communication: questioning, paraphrasing, summarising.
• Non-verbal communication: body language, tone, eye contact.
• Age-appropriate communication with children, adolescents, and adults.
• Cross-cultural communication and language considerations.
• Dealing with resistance, hostility, and silence.
• Conflict resolution and de-escalation strategies.
• Role-play exercises for trust-building scenarios.

Objectives:
• Define emotional intelligence and its components in helping relationships.
• Develop empathy as a core skill for understanding clients' experiences.
• Apply trauma-informed principles to avoid re-traumatisation.
• Recognise signs of trauma and stress in clients.
• Implement self-care strategies to prevent compassion fatigue.

Topics:
• Emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social skills.
• Empathy vs sympathy: appropriate use in professional settings.
• Trauma-informed care: principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment.
• Impact of trauma on behaviour and communication.
• Identifying vicarious trauma and burnout.
• Self-care practices for practitioners.
• Case studies applying trauma-informed approaches.

Objectives:
• Understand behavioural challenges common in at-risk children and youth.
• Apply positive behaviour support strategies to encourage pro-social behaviour.
• Foster resilience through strength-based approaches.
• Implement boundary-setting and consistent consequences.
• Use motivational interviewing to promote change.

Topics:
• Common behavioural issues: aggression, withdrawal, defiance, acting out.
• Positive behaviour support: reinforcement, redirection, modelling.
• Strength-based approaches: identifying and building on assets.
• Resilience factors and how to cultivate them.
• Setting limits and enforcing rules with empathy.
• Motivational interviewing techniques: engaging, focusing, evoking, planning.
• Role-play: managing challenging behaviours in youth.

Objectives:
• Analyse family systems and dynamics affecting at-risk families.
• Understand roles, communication patterns, and multigenerational issues.
• Apply family engagement strategies to involve families in interventions.
• Facilitate family meetings and collaborative problem-solving.
• Address parenting skills and support caregivers.

Topics:
• Family systems theory: boundaries, hierarchy, subsystems.
• Dysfunctional patterns: enmeshment, disengagement, triangulation.
• Engaging resistant or overwhelmed families.
• Conducting family assessments and genograms.
• Parenting skills training: positive discipline, consistency, nurturing.
• Family meetings: structure, facilitation, goal-setting.
• Referral to family support services in South Africa.

Objectives:
• Plan and facilitate therapeutic and psychoeducational groups.
• Manage group dynamics including conflict and resistance.
• Adapt group activities for children, youth, and mixed-age groups.
• Promote peer support and social skills development.
• Evaluate group outcomes and adjust facilitation accordingly.

Topics:
• Types of groups: support, skills training, therapy.
• Stages of group development: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning.
• Facilitation skills: active listening, summarising, linking.
• Managing difficult group members: monopolisers, silent members, disruptors.
• Activity design: icebreakers, role-plays, discussions.
• Cultural considerations in group settings.
• Ethical issues in group work: confidentiality, dual relationships.
• Practice facilitating a short group session.

Objectives:
• Identify signs of crisis: suicidal ideation, self-harm, violence.
• Apply crisis intervention models: SAFER, LAPC.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop safety plans.
• Coordinate with emergency services and support networks.
• Debrief after critical incidents to support clients and staff.

Topics:
• Crisis theory and types of crises in at-risk populations.
• Crisis intervention models: SAFER (Safety, Assessment, Facilitation, Emergency, Referral).
• Suicide and self-harm: risk factors, warning signs, assessment.
• Safety planning: steps, resources, follow-up.
• Child protection and mandatory reporting in South Africa.
• Collaboration with social workers, police, hospitals.
• Debriefing and post-crisis support.
• Role-play: crisis call or in-person intervention.

Objectives:
• Advocate for clients' rights and access to services.
• Build referral networks and make effective referrals.
• Collaborate with schools, social services, health, and justice systems.
• Navigate ethical dilemmas in advocacy and collaboration.
• Document cases professionally for legal and service purposes.

Topics:
• Advocacy skills: speaking up, empowering clients, systemic change.
• Resource mapping: identifying local services in South Africa.
• Effective referral processes: warm handoffs, follow-up.
• Multidisciplinary teamwork: roles, communication, meetings.
• Ethical considerations: confidentiality, conflicts of interest, boundaries.
• Case documentation: SOAP notes, progress reports.
• Legal frameworks: Children's Act, Domestic Violence Act.
• Case study: coordinating care for a family.

Objectives:
• Synthesise all skills into a comprehensive intervention plan.
• Present a case study applying interpersonal skills across the helping process.
• Reflect on personal growth and areas for further development.
• Develop a self-care and supervision plan for ongoing practice.
• Demonstrate competency in simulated client interactions.

Topics:
• Review of key concepts and skills from Days 1-8.
• Case study presentations: assessment, intervention, evaluation.
• Simulated client sessions with feedback.
• Ethical decision-making in complex cases.
• Self-reflection: journaling, peer feedback, supervision needs.
• Creating a personal development plan.
• Professional boundaries and burnout prevention.
• Course evaluation and certification requirements.