On the 10th of October, World Mental Health Day was observed globally – a day recognised by the World Health Organisation each year. This year’s theme was ‘Mental Health in An Unequal World’ and for us here at Mosaic Foster Care, there has never been a more relevant theme for the world of looked-after care.
While not every child in care will suffer from mental health issues, many will – usually as a result of the trauma they’ve experienced from past relationships. That’s why access to therapists and mental healthcare is extremely important in fostering.
Here at Mosaic Foster Care, supporting the mental health of our families is at the centre of everything we do. Whether it’s weekly reflective groups with our foster parents and staff or a tailored therapy programme, we are proud to be one of the top fostering agencies in Essex when it comes to providing mental health support.
Over the past ten years, our team have been developing a unique therapeutic model with the assistance of our in-house therapists and social workers. Simply described as the ‘SMILE’ model, this approach is used by our foster parents to deliver therapeutic parenting.
Unlike most fostering agencies in Essex, we have a team of therapists who regularly work one-on-one with a child and their foster families. By working closely with everyone in the child’s life, we can truly understand the child’s background and past experiences. Therefore, the team understands how their development has been affected and what can be done to help them.
Each week our staff and foster parents have access to a weekly reflective group hosted by our in-house therapists. This is a time when our team can take to time to share any challenges they’re having or even any milestones they have achieved. We find this is beneficial for everyone on the team as it allows them to seek support and guidance from other like-minded people.
Give us a call at 0800 233 5570 or hello@mosaicfostercare.com to find out more information.
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