Training Foster Parents in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Essay Sample 

This essay sample shall highlight the goals of the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and the implementation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy within Foster Care.

The foster parents do not get sufficient training to fulfil the needs and demands of children who have emotional, physical, and behavioural disorders.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a clinical intervention developed for treating children 2-7 years of age. It is an effective combination of play therapy and behavioural therapy for young children and foster parents.

It deals with the issues of mental health disorders, emotional stress, language issues, and disabilities of the children by also helping foster parents to improve their attitudes and behaviours toward their children.

PCIT is a scientific research-based interaction therapy for preventing any form of mental, or physical abuse of children.

Goals of the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy 

• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is used for training the parents or carers from using any abusive language and for conducting any bad behaviour in front of the child.

Parents learn the skill of effective interaction with children in their language and help them communicate by reflecting upon their thoughts. It also helps them to enhance their vocabulary skills.

Parents become more attentive toward their children and help them to nurture good behaviour and conduct.

• This therapy will help in creating a strong family relationship for a child with his parent which builds trust and loyalty between them. It improves family dynamics by practising new behaviours and communication techniques.

It helps in improving communication skills, increasing confidence, and reducing anger issues by improving the interactive behaviour of parent and child.

• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) effects are maintained and can be seen even after 1-6 years post-treatment which reduces the troubled behaviour of the child in a childhood setting significantly.
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has been seen to be very effective in the case of autism spectrum disorder and trauma by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTST) ensuring the overall welfare of a child.

Implementation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy within the Foster Care

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) focuses on the young minds of the children and their foster carers or guardians or parents.

The foster parents or their parents have the greatest influence on the child’s behaviour and psychology. Child’s first learning starts in their homes under the guidance and supervision of foster parents and carers.

The first learning of any child at home helps in developing and shaping their personality with values.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) includes a wide range of parenting interventions to build their parenting skills that include skill-building activities, live coaching and person-centred or individualized treatment plans.

This parent-child interaction therapy includes all the children and their foster caregivers and parents in the treatment.

It helps foster parents and carers in developing and mastering parenting skills through live parent coaching during parent-child interactions.

In a master-based intervention, parent-child interaction therapy follows a two-stage model.

Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) 

The therapist gives important instructions to the foster parent to be followed during the parent-child interactions to promote effective good parenting skills.

Child Directed Interaction helps the children to take direction and acknowledge the authority of the foster parent and to be attentive towards them. This also helps in building a positive attitude and bond between the parent and the child.

CDI includes playing therapy techniques and social learning skills through which a parent can follow the activities of the child while giving him care, affection and attention.

The therapist monitors the activities of the child by combining play therapy with the coaching sessions along with instruction play to help parents master Child-Directed Interaction Skills (CDI).

Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI) 

After the successful completion of the first phase of the master-based intervention, the second phase of treatment is that of Parent-Directed Interaction (PDI).

The therapist helps the foster parents to develop the skills of child management, development and discipline by using some clinical techniques and coaching.

Parent Directed Interaction (PDI) includes social learning principles where parents improve the behaviour of the child through coercion.

Do not get upset with your approaching deadline!

The above sample is written on the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in the Foster Care and the training of foster parents through this therapy.

Child Psychology QQI Level 5, Applied Psychology QQI Level 5, Early Childhood Care and Education QQI Level 5, Careskills QQI Level 5, Psychology of People QQI Level 5, Psychology QQI students can read this sample specifically to gain professional knowledge on child psychology, support and therapy.

We have parent and child relationship-based assignments on Parent-Child Relationship, Working in partnership with carers and parents, Child safeguarding measures and Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964.

These assignments can be read in this essay to deepen the knowledge on such topics.

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