Functional Family Therapy- Child Welfare (FFT-CW) is a therapeutic intervention aimed at building safety and keeping families together. FFT-CW works with the whole family in the home over a period of 4-6 month and is comprised of three phases.
Engagement and Motivation:
The first phase of therapy is all about relationship building. A family’s connection to their practitioner is crucial in supporting change. Families often present to us at the worst moments, so our job is to find a spark of hope that we can use to move them towards change. We focus on the family’s strengths and help them to see each other differently, in a more positive light. While connecting and building hope, the practitioner will build a picture of the ways in which family members typically interact with each other in times of stress or conflict.
Behaviour Change:
FFT is unique from other forms in therapy in that we do not make any suggestions for change until a family feels hopeful (enough) and connected with us. We know if we rush in too soon, it may not help the family move forward.
Practitioners then consider which skills the family could learn to improve their situation. Skills can cover areas such as emotion regulation, communication, conflict resolution, behaviour management or parenting.
Generalisation:
After the skills training, practitioners stay connected with families to check in on progress and help family members implement what they have learned across more settings and situations outside of the home. It is also our opportunity to address any issues that are still un-resolved and fill in any gaps with any additional relevant services.
We ‘step out’ once safety has been increased and there is a shift in the family dynamics towards a more positive, productive, and hopeful way of being together. There are no perfect families, so we aim for ‘good enough’ family functioning. Small changes can make a big difference in a child or teen’s life.
NCNS delivers FFT-CW across Penrith, Blue Mountains and Lithgow. Visit our website to find out more
Article Written by Monica Purcell – Family Practitioner