Navrat: Lets find every child in Slovakia a family

Since October 2014 until February 2015 we organised a pilot project of Parent Strenghtening Training for adoptive or foster parents as well as for the parents from families in crisis. Under the guidance of two trainers from Navrat a  group of mothers met each fortnight. Using creative techniques, artetherapy, narratives, discussions and writings they were working on their parenting skills, exchanging experience and working on their own parental selfconcept, which is crucial for raising children with special needs. Based on this pilot training we will develop a methodical tool for the work with a group of parents. The attendants were cooperating on the development of the training program.

„During a half an hour in the Parent Strenghtening Training I always released all the parenting worries, work stress and household duties. I was returning home looking forward to my dears who were waiting impatiently. My family – my husband, my biological children and foster children – soon recognised, that at that place where I went regularly, they helped me. Each time I came back in a good mood, smiling and relaxed. During the first session I wondered if it was the right thing for me, but soon I found that one can be very strenghtened by reflecting himself and looking deep inside his own mind and heart. This training helped me and my family a lot“.

Foster mother attending Parent Strenghtening Training

We also continued to support families who attended our Filial Play Therapy by continuous contact with parents and further guidance in their parenting. They use the benefits of the training in their daily life and discuss their experiences and questions with our therapists. For the parents raising traumatized children it is very important to have an opportunity to get constant counselling according to their actual needs. Thanks to your support we can stand by their side any time they need.

We continue with the groups of parents in the training of the parenting skills using Filial Play Therapy. Mothers are very happy to see, that their communication with children is more positive, that they understand their children and that the children now can express how they feel and what they think without aggression. So thanks to this project we can see that family life of our clients is more cooperative and the atmosphere is positive and peaceful.

 We spread the idea of the importance of touches and hugging between parents and children. In november 2014 we invited families with young children to the interactive experience family afternoon. We spoke about the Touch Therapy and we presented and excercised some easy games that make use of touch and eye-contact for developing better attachment between child and parent. Fifteen families accepted our invitation, half of them were foster or adoptive families and the other half were biological families. The afternoon was full of joy and parents expressed that they found new tool how to deepen family relationships and how to help their traumatised children to relax and cure some deep inner injuries. We could see great impact of the touch therapy and games using touching that day.