1. PARENTS AS PARTNERS IN PROMOTING WELL-BEING
A short course for parents on supporting the well-being of children with vision impairment

2. SESSION 1 Introduction to the course Purpose Background (Slide 3)
Approach
Focus of Session 1: What is well-being? Why is it so important?
Domestic announcements

3. BACKGROUND
‘Functionality and the Needs of Blind and Partially- Sighted Young People in the UK’ (Guide Dogs, 2008) highlighted that blind and partially-sighted children and young people typically do not perform as well as their peers in terms of:
Confidence
Independence
Initiative
Self-esteem
Social skills
Mobility
Social networks
Phase 1 of the project: ‘Think Right Feel Good’ course for young people.

4. SESSION 1 (cont.) Hopes for our children
Spend a few minutes individually to think of up to 5 ‘main hopes’ for your child with vision impairment
Make a note of these on the sheet provided (or ‘Post-its’)
Split into pairs or small subgroups and share the choices made
Make a combined list for your subgroup, including a tally of how often each of the main hopes occurred
Subgroup feedback

5. SESSION 1 (cont.)
Hopes for our children - Families Survey

6. SESSION 1 (cont.) Defining well-being
Modern definitions typically refer to ‘quality of life’, ‘happiness’ and ‘life satisfaction’
Well-being has many dimensions
Well-being is a positive concept
Distinction between ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ well-being

7. SESSION 1 (cont.) Domains and areas of subjective well-being Domain
Area of well-being
Definition
Self
(main focus of course)
Self-esteem
Confidence
Emotional well-being
Good mental health
Resilience
Whether good at dealing with difficult events
Relationships
Friends
Quality of relationships with peers
Family
Quality of relationships with family
Environment
School/work
Satisfaction or enjoyment of school/work
Community
Satisfaction or enjoyment of neighbourhood

8. SESSION 1 (cont.) Quiz answers 1. b. Netherlands 2. e. UK 3. b. 1 in 4
6. a. False b. True c. True d. True
7. b. HM Government 2011

9. SESSION 2
Introduction
Focus of Session 2: How can we promote well-being?
Revisit ground rules

10. SESSION 2 (cont.) Parents’ well-being What works?
Parents’ well-being is important for children’s well-being
What works?
Split into subgroups
Individually reflect on what things help to give you a sense of well-being
Write down up to five simple, everyday steps you could take to boost your feeling of well-being
Share the steps within your subgroup and agree the top 5 for feedback

11. SESSION 2 (cont.) What works: ‘Five-a-day’ programme Learn Active
Take notice
Connect
Help

12. SESSION 2 (cont.) Problem solving
Increased demands upon parents with a child with vision impairment
Helpful strategies reported by parents:
- educating yourself about the disability
- helping to develop the child’s talents
- accessing informal and formal support

13. SESSION 2 (cont.) Applications: - in parent support groups
- as an individual problem solving approach
- parent/family support for a child

14. SESSION 2 (cont.) Children’s well-being: Resilience
The capacity to deal with stress and adversity
A powerful insulating force
Can be shaped and strengthened
A positive attitude and a problem solving approach are important factors
Feelings of having control also important

15. SESSION 2 (cont.) Problem solving: Self-advocacy
Introduction - awkward questions and rehearsed answers
Split into subgroups
Choose one of the scenario cards and prepare and write down a ‘rehearsed’ response
Feedback
Applications:
- sensitive questions asked by or about their child?
- helping their child to develop rehearsed answers?

16. SESSION 3
Introduction
Focus of Session 3: Continuation of how we can promote well-being
Feedback on use of strategies from 2nd Session
Ground rules check

17. SESSION 3 (cont.) Resilience: Problem solving - Stop and Think!
Four steps:
Experience
Feelings
Thinking
Action
Trying out the Stop and Think approach
Feedback

18. SESSION 3 (cont.) Children’s well-being: Self-esteem Key points:
the value we place on ourselves
the gap between self-image and self ideal
has many facets and a number of levels
can impact on all areas of life
is learned and can be raised (or lowered)
is strongly influenced by parents and other family members, teachers and friends
children with vision impairment are at greater risk of developing low self-esteem (why?)

19. SESSION 3 (cont.) The impact of low self-esteem
Examples of impact on areas of functioning
Split into subgroups
Add further examples of the impact of low self-esteem in each of the areas of functioning
Feedback

20. SESSION 3 (cont.) A cognitive behavioural perspective
BELIEF EMOTION BEHAVIOUR
They’re out to get me Anger Hit out
I’m stupid Depression Don’t ask questions in class
Something dreadful will happen Anxiety Refuse to attend school

21. SESSION 3 (cont.) Strategies for promoting self-esteem
Split into subgroups
Share and note ways of encouraging self-esteem
Feedback

22. SESSION 3 (cont.) Improving the child or young person’s self-image
- by developing independence, personal and social
skills and other competencies
- by providing positive feedback
- by providing opportunities for the experience of
success
- by providing an expectation of success (i.e.
reassurance that they can succeed)

23. SESSION 3 (cont.)
Adjusting the child or young person’s self-ideal to more realistic levels
Helping to change the way the child or young person explains his or her success and failure