AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022
BEST for Kids Inc
| Date update submitted | 17/7/01 |
| Program Title | BEST for Kids Inc |
| Contact Person/s | Ms Verena Ross Mrs Jane Fletcher |
| Organisation | BEST for Kids Inc (a not-for-profit incorporated asssociation) |
| Address | c/- Verena Ross, Albert Road Clinic 31 Albert Road Melbourne 3004 |
| State | VIC |
| rossv@ramsayhealth.com.au | |
| Telephone | 03 9256 8333 |
| Facsimile | 03 9867 4150 |
| Program Description | Best for Kids inc. is a peer support program for children and their parent(s) who have a mental illness. The program comprises three streams. The first stream is a peer support group program for children and adolescents that addresses their socio-emotional and psychological development. The second stream provides psycho-education and support for parents with mental illness, which addresses the needs of their children and parenting issues. The third stream provides an interactive group program, where children and their parent participate together. The primary focus of this group is communication and the development of parent/child relationship. Families attend the program for 4 terms over a 12 month period and follow-up sessions 6 months after exiting the program are offered to families. Activities days, break-up parties and graduation ceremonies are integral to the program content. |
| Evaluation Information | Program evaluation to date has included pre, post and follow-up assessment via psychological and behavioural inventories for both parent and child. Program satisfaction has also been collated. |
| Evidence | BEST for Kids inc. program model was originally developed and assessed in 1994 in the context of a postgraduate psychology thesis. At that time the program was based on an American psycho-educational program specifically designed for children of alcoholic parents. Over the last 7 years it has expanded and developed so as to include a strengths or resilience based approach in the program and a collaborative approach within the community. These developments stemmed from 7 years of clinical experience in working with these families and ongoing clinical and theoretical research. |
| Any other information |
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