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What are friends for
- Authors:
- HESLOP Pauline, WILLIAMS Val, HOADLEY Sally
- Journal article citation:
- Young Minds Magazine, 77, July 2005, pp.16-17.
- Publisher:
- YoungMinds
Young people with both mental health problems and learning disabilities are commonly regarded as doubly disadvantaged. This article reports on a project called Mind the Gap aimed at improving the emotional resilience and mental health support for young people who fall into this category. The project, a collaborative venture at the Norah Fry Research Centre at the University of Bristol carried out from 2002 to 2004, led to the development of the course The Strongest Link. The Strongest Link is run by and for young people with learning disabilities in Somerset. It is directed to prepare the participants for adulthood by encouraging open emotional expression and by getting them to think of ways that they could get help for themselves.
Good practice in befriending services for people with learning difficulties
- Author:
- HESLOP Pauline
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(1), March 2005, pp.27-33.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Despite the growing trend for the development of befriending services, there is a paucity of research about the views of people involved with these services and the effectiveness of service provision. This article describes some of the views and experiences of paid workers, volunteer befrienders, service users (befriendees) and family carers involved with seven befriending services for children and/or adults with learning difficulties in England. Although each of the befriending services shared the broad purpose of increasing the friendship circles of the befriendees, their aims and the ways in which they worked, differed considerably. The focus of the article is on some of the key issues that the befriending services faced, factors that were found to contribute to good practice within befriending services and recommendations for good practice.
Filling the emotional gap at transition: young people with learning difficulties and friendship
- Authors:
- WILLIAMS Val, HESLOP Pauline
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 11(4), October 2006, pp.28-37.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article reports on an action research study in Somerset which was funded by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities. The study followed young people and practitioners in adopting a largely social model of mental health distress. It focused on positive emotional support, and worked with young people themselves to find new ways of tackling these issues. Young people in the study said that the support they most valued was that gained through friendships. A small, self-selecting group of students worked with the project, and they designed and piloted a short course about emotional support for other young people. The findings show that this was effective in helping the young people talk more freely about their feelings, and build their confidence and mutual trust. This article argues that, by developing their own self-problems and take more control over their own lives.
Befriending: more than just finding friends?
- Authors:
- HESLOP Pauline, ROBINSON Carol
- Publisher:
- Shared Care Network
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 108p..bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
There is a growing trend for the development of befriending services and increased government recognition that the provision of short break services (of which befriending is one of the range of services) is essential in supporting families of disabled people. Despite this there is a paucity of research evidence about the effectiveness of such services. It is these three factors which have prompted this research, which focuses on the views and experiences of 15 workers at seven befriending schemes for children and/or adults with learning difficulties in England; 34 people with learning difficulties using the schemes; 42 befrienders attached to them; and 46 parent carers of children/young people linked to any of the seven schemes.
Quality measures for befriending services
- Author:
- HESLOP Pauline
- Publisher:
- Shared Care Network
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 62p.
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
To date, there has been a lack of research evidence about the effectiveness of befriending services and little guidance about what good practice should entail.This is despite a proliferation in befriending services, their growing popularity and government recognition of their importance to families of disabled children. Key areas include; the aims of the service, publicising the service, referrals, assessment , training, matching befrienders to befriendees, support and supervision arrangements, serviceuser involvement, resources, policies, breaks and endings and evaluation.