2hrs

Engaging children: Ideas that stick

About the course

In Engaging children: Ideas that stick you will work towards developing your confidence to use a range of practice skills for exploring and expanding on children's skills, know-how, values, creativity and interests to respond to the problem the child is facing.

Modules

Course commencement

Module One provides you with some important information as you start this course.

Making 'good at' useful

Module Two will cover practices for engaging children in conversations that explore how their capabilities and interests can be transformed into useful ways of responding to problems.

Building on what's working

Module Three will explore practices for collaborating with children to build on the skills they are already using to respond to the problem.

Noticing progress with the problem

Module Four will explore practices for assisting children and families to notice the progress they are making in responding to the problem.

When progress seems to stall

Module Five will explore how practitioners can work to lessen the discouragement of children and families in the face of setbacks or stalled progress.

Helping ideas stay stuck

Module Six will explore some options available to practitioners to help ensure that a child's skills and know-how for dealing with the problem can endure into the future.

Course completion

Module Seven provides you with the information you need to successfully complete this course.

Download printable summary of the Engaging children suite

Welcome to Engaging children: Ideas that stick

Learning aims

In this course you will work towards developing your confidence to use a range of practice skills for exploring and expanding on children’s skills, know-how, values, creativity and interests to respond to the problem the child is facing.

Skills include:

how to engage children in conversations that explore how their capabilities and interests can be transformed into useful tools for responding to problems
how to collaborate with children to build on the skills they are already using to respond to the problem
how to assist children and families to notice the progress they are making in responding to the problem
how to lessen discouragement for children and families in the face of setbacks or stalled progress; and
how to help ensure that a child’s skills and know-how for dealing with the problem can continue to be used in the future.

Engaging children pathway

This video introduces you to the Engaging children pathway. It is recommended that you complete the foundation course Engaging with children before beginning this course.

Duration

It’s estimated that this course will take you two hours to complete, including watching videos and undertaking the reflection activities.

You can do the course across multiple sessions at your own pace. The last screen you visit before logging off will be bookmarked, and you will have the option of returning to that screen when you next log in.

Self-care

As you work through the course, it is important to be aware of your own emotional responses. Please use the following self-care tips and seek help if needed:

We do not recommend undertaking the entire course in one sitting. Give yourself some breaks. Even if you don’t feel that you need a break, it’s a good idea to take one anyway and come back later.
Be aware of your emotions as you progress through the course, and take action if you are starting to feel stressed or upset. For example, consider taking a break and doing something for yourself that you enjoy.
Be aware of your emotional responses after you complete the course.

If at any point you find you are struggling, please talk with your supervisor, seek help, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or SANE Australia on 1800 18 7263.

Some essential strategies for self-care include:

being prepared – thinking through the ‘what-ifs’ step-by-step
understanding your personal signs of feeling overwhelmed
setting prompts that will notify you that you need to pull back
pre-determining how you will pull back, and how you know you will be OK to re-engage
linking into peer supports
engaging in, and prescheduling, regular stress-reduction activities; and
seeking opportunities to reflect on your experiences with your professional colleagues.

You will explore specific tips for personal self-care later in this course. These are also relevant to your staff and your family.

Definitions

For the purposes of this course, the term parent encompasses the biological and adoptive parents of a child, as well as individuals who have chosen to take up a primary or shared responsibility in raising that child.

Social and emotional wellbeing refers to the way a person thinks and feels about themselves and others. It incorporates behavioural and emotional strengths and is a facet of child development.

In broad terms, social and emotional wellbeing is the foundation for physical and mental health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a holistic concept which results from a network of relationships between individuals, family, kin and Community. It also recognises the importance of connection to Land, culture, spirituality and ancestry, and how these affect the individual.

Social and emotional wellbeing is also used by some people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, who may have differing concepts of mental health and mental illness.

This course refers to children aged 4–12 years.

Contributors

This course draws on the latest research, clinical insights, and the lived experience of our child and family partners. We’d like to thank the professionals and families who played an integral role in shaping this course, generously offering their time, wisdom and unique perspectives.

A quick guide to Emerging Minds Learning

Watch the following video for a quick guide on how to navigate Emerging Minds Learning courses.