SAIT will become involved with your family following a request from your child/ren’s social worker for a specialist type of assessment. This may lead onto us offering a targeted intervention to support you and your family.     

Different types of assessment

Adult Attachment Interview

This is an interview that takes around one hour and is voice recorded. Its aim is to understand an individual’s experience of being parented & their attachment strategies for coping under stress.

Meaning of the Child Interview

This is an interview that takes around one hour and is voice recorded. Its aim is to understand how the parent child relationship functions and how the parent views their child. 

Care Index                                                                                                     

The infant care index is a three-minute video observation of playful interaction between parent and child. This assessment can guide future intervention to improve the quality of the parent and child relationship.

Narrative Story Stems                                                                                       

Narrative story stems are a play exercise that is video recorded in which the interviewer gives the child the beginning of a story (the stem) and asks the child to finish the story. The aim of this assessment is to understand how a child may have processed some of their life experiences.

Marshack Interaction Measure (M.I.M)                                                                                         

The MIM is a video recorded interaction between a parent/carer and child and takes 30-60 minutes to complete. It involves the child and parent/carer to complete a series of simple play based tasks together which are designed to allow us to understand the child’s response to the carer. This assessment can guide future intervention designed to improve the quality of the parent and child relationship.

Parenting Assessment Manuel Software (PAMS)                                                                                        

This is an assessment for parents who have a diagnosed or suspected learning disability or difficulty. This assessment can take around 12 weeks and involves visits to your family home, usually on a weekly basis. The purpose of this assessment is to understand which areas of your parenting require further support and intervention.

Interventions

Parenting Plus

Parenting Plus has been developed to promote a more positive parent - child relationship. The focus for change is not on the behavior of the parent or child but on the relationship between the parent - child. It involves using video observation and feedback within the family home supporting parenting to identify and understand possible underlying causes and barriers to managing their child’s behavior.

Primary Mental Health Workers

The Primary Mental Health Workers can offer support to assist parents to develop coping strategies with their emotional wellbeing, look at relapse prevention plans for their mental health and assist in preparing them for more intensive work from the statutory mental health services available within the NHS such as IAPT, ASTI etc.

Play Therapy

Play is a natural activity of learning, exploration and communication for children and so, the medium is considered highly effective for helping children to 'play out' what they may find difficult to put into words. Play therapy is non-directive and led by a practitioner trained in theraplay.

Information sharing

We will work with you in an open and honest manner whilst keeping you informed of how things are going on a regular basis.

Sometimes, we may need to share information about you and your family with other services but we will always seek your permission first before doing so, unless a situation is very urgent or critical.

When an interview or video is recorded as part of an intervention or assessment, the video will be stored on your child’s file is accordance with MKC policy.

When an assessment is undertaken a report will be produced which explains the outcome and any recommendations for future support for you or your family. A copy of this assessment will be provided to you and your child’s Social Worker who will store it on your child’s file.

We will try and work around you and ensure we arrange visits at a time convenient for you. However, when PAMS assessments are being carried out, some visits may be unannounced.