The purpose of MOTP is to help parents following domestic abuse (DA) with the following:
Build a relationship with their child
The relationship may have been affected by impact of DA: emotional impact and lack of emotional availability or attuned responses to their child; disruption and trauma means inconsistent in care and attention; impact of abuse may have been to undermine parent in their role as a parent; impact of abuse may have been for perpetrator to criticise parent, sometimes encouraging the child to join in criticism or influence them to see parent in negative light.
Helping parent to co-regulate their child
The child may be having difficulties regulating or the parent may have difficulties co-regulating: child may have been traumatised by DA, may still not feel safe, may not have learnt to regulate emotion because of impact of DA on parenting, may have attachment difficulties due to DA which impact on emotions and possibly behaviour.
Building parents’ confidence in themselves as parents
Parents’ experience of DA can undermine their confidence in themselves generally and specifically as parents: they may have been undermined, possibly specifically as a parent; the parent or child roles may have been blurred because of distress or vulnerability of parent or because parents’ attempts to structure and set boundaries has been undermined; parent may feel guilty about the DA and subsequently about setting boundaries leading to difficulties parenting which they then blame themselves for.
Engaging parents’ reflective function
Themes running throughout the MOTP group.
The 4 dimensions of Theraplay, what they are and why they help with relationship, regulation, managing children's behaviour and children's confidence. Closely linked with the 4 dimensions, emphasis on a playful approach.
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