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Assessment Overview

Overview of the Assessment –Intervention process

Adolescents in the mainstream programme usually require 18- 24 months in intervention following the Assessment / Education phase (3 months). Adolescents in the Changing Directions programme for adolescents with borderline to moderate Intellectual Disabilities and/or developmental delay or significant learning disabilities usually require between 2-3 years intervention following the Assessment / Education phase (3 months).

 

Intervention Components

The intervention programme typically involves the following components. However the composition of intervention components and intervention plan for each adolescent client will be developed based on the particular intervention needs of the individual client as indicated from his assessment.

Individual Therapy:

  • The Primary clinician and the adolescent (1-2 weekly) (weekly/fortnightly)
  • Critical role of therapeutic relationship with supportive, predictable and challenging therapist
  • Within individual therapy a therapeutic relationship is fostered as a vital means of supporting the adolescent while at the same time challenging not OK behaviours.

Adolescent Peer Group Therapy

  • Structured weekly group (2 hours) with up to 8 adolescents
  • Matched for developmental and age levels
  • Facilitated by co-gender therapy team where possible
  • Groups are guided by the facilitators to provide a culture of responsibility, and appropriate peer group challenges and support for all group members

Family Therapy

  • Adolescent and family members as appropriate
  • May include multiple family systems and extended family
  • Maori Kaimahi clinician co-works with primary clinician with Maori whanau
  • Identification and remediation of relevant family issues that may have contributed to the abusing pattern

Social Work Services

Monitoring , providing support and developing Safety Plans to assist adolescents to make good decisions regarding keeping themselves safe in their home and in the community

Advocating  for, and accessing, community resources and services for adolescents such as schools, courses, employment and recreational activities, that are safe.

Work in collaboration with community and government agencies to help facilitate change in the youths adolescents (remove inter and intra) -social systems

Provides post-intervention support to adolescents and their families in respect to relapse prevention and the ongoing maintenance of their safety within the community.

Accessing and supporting and maintaining safety within, safe living placement within the community.

Supporting adolescents to develop life skills, such as budgeting, job seeking and self-advocacy

Educating schools, courses, employers and community agencies and developing ways to address any safety issues in respect to these environments

Tautoko Rangatahi Group

  • Promotes cultural connectedness for Maori adolescents
  • Co- facilitated by Maori Kaimahi
  • Kaumatua (Maori elder) support

Systems Reviews:

  • Review of the adolescent’s progress at 4-6 monthly intervals during the intervention phase
  • Attended by the Adolescent, family members, relevant referral professionals, support people and victims family if appropriate
  • Facilitated by a trained community professional who is not involved in the adolescent’s intervention
  • Provides an accountability forum to monitor the adolescent’s progress
  • Changing Directions Programme For Adolescents With Intellectual Disability /Developmental Difficulties
  • Specialist programme for adolescents with borderline to moderate Intellectual disabilities and/or developmental delay or significant learning disabilities
  • Adolescents in this programme may require a longer intervention phase
  • Group therapy in the Changing Directions programme is designed specifically for this population by employing creative repetition of key concepts, using action based methods to assist learning, and tailoring content to guard against issues such as suggestibility.

Intervention Process

  • Clients work on intervention modules with the assistance of the primary clinician both in individual therapy and independently.
  • Each of the modules are then shared and processed in the peer therapy group and subsequently in family therapy sessions.
  • Face-to-face responsibility and apology sessions may be held with the person who have been abused and/or their parents, if that is considered to be in the best interests of the person who have been abused.
  • At the completion of intervention a final System Review is held where the young person describes the work they have achieved on the programme and their understanding of the chain of abuse and their coping plan.
  • During the course of intervention,  Modules that are not part of the intervention  but however relate to the adolescent having engaged in harmful sexual behaviour will also be addressed, these may include: development of social skills, drug misuse, mood management (including depression) anger management etc.

 

Intervention issues

The following issues are covered in intervention. 

  • Sexual Abusing Related Issues
  • Social Skills & Psychological Issues
  • Sexuality and Sexual Arousal
  • Victim Impact and Empathy
  • Family Issues
  • Relapse Prevention and Safety planning for Life