Looking After your Family and Self (LAFS) is a new Resilience and Self-Management Skills Programme for Kinship Carers developed by Children’s Health Scotland.
Kinship Carers have told us ‘I will be alright if the kids are’ but we know this should be reversed to ‘If I’m alright, the kids will be too’ – as the children and young people in their care will pick up on their mood and stress, with a tendency to mirror. If Kinship Carers look after themselves, it will have a beneficial effect on the young people in their care.
The new LAFS Programme is themed on building resilience and self-confidence with a strong focus on supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of Kinship Carers and the children and young people in their care through Workshops and monthly HUB sessions. It is hoped by blending a mixture of theory and practice that Kinship Carers will develop a range of resilience and self-management skills together with a greater understanding of healthcare rights.
The Workshop is focused on Resilience and the ability to embrace change positively. It will cover physical, psychological, and social resilience and has been developed in consultation with Kinship Carers. It has been built on the strong foundations of the popular Five Pillars of Resilience which are: Self-Care, Self-Awareness, Positive Relationships, Mindfulness, and Purpose. By strengthening these pillars, we in turn, become more resilient. Instead of experiencing an overwhelming downward spiral when we encounter stress in our lives, these five pillars work together to lift us out of chaotic feelings.
- SELF-CARE - by far the most important of the five pillars. If you want to become the best version of yourself, then you need to take care of your own wellbeing first.
- SELF-AWARENESS - having a clear insight into your own personality with the ability to tune in to your feelings, thoughts, and actions. Only by being aware of yourself can you begin to grow and build on that.
- POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP - healthy and positive relationships involve honesty, trust, respect, and open communication.
- MINDFULNESS - when we are faced with an obstacle or pressures in life, it’s important to ground ourselves and take a moment to calm ourselves and stay in the moment.
- PURPOSE - having a purpose is what gives life meaning and gives meaning to everything we do.
- SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS - improving the relationship you have with your health and wellbeing whilst building your confidence and self-esteem.
MORE INFORMATION
Places for this online Workshop are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and are subject to availability. If you are a Kinship Carer, or support someone who is, and you would like to know more about the new LAFS Programme then please email us at LAFS@childrenshealthscotland.org or give us a call on 0131 553 6553.
