Introduce
Engaging families can take many forms but nearly all will include some sort of ending. How relationships end is significant and ideally should be managed over an extended phase. Endings provide an opportunity to acknowledge accomplishments and transition into a new chapter. For some families, this is a chance to reflect on the value of their engagement and celebrate their progress. For others, endings can bring up a lot of feelings and may be challenging. It is not uncommon for families to be resistant to endings and find other issues that they want support with, in an attempt to prolong the intervention or support.
Both families and practitioners can find endings hard. This might be because:
- The outcome isn’t what was hoped for
- Practitioners guilt or distress for finishing the work
- Family have become dependant on the practitioner
- Families do not feel equipped to cope
- Families may feel abandoned or let down
- Concerns about ongoing risks
This image shows the complexity of endings for many children and young people:
Image source: Anna Freud
Develop
Let’s return to Kate Berry, Early Help Manager from Salford to guide us through how best to approach endings when working with families:
When you are approaching an ending, it might be appropriate to work with the family on creating a sustainability plan. This gives space to reflect on the following:
Reflect
Stop and Reflect: It is important to consider your own relationship with endings as this could inform your professional approach.
– Explore the significant endings in your own life. What feelings came up? What do you feel like now, looking back at these times?
– Is there anything that you feel could impact your endings with families at work?
– What coping strategies are helpful for you when managing endings? How might you also celebrate and acknowledge the successes and achievements of an intervention?