Practice
Profile
Explicit Affective Practice
Contact details
Agency: Goulburn Family Support Service Inc.
Address:
85 Goldsmith Street
Goulburn NSW 2580
Postal: PO Box 662 Goulburn 2580
Contact: Anne Burton
Service Co-ordinator
Phone: 02 4822 2200
Fax: 02 4822 2550
Email: admin@gfss.ngo.org.au
Funding source
NSW Department of Community Services.Program duration and frequency
Agency preparation
The practice we have developed is a whole of agency approach for staff and practice delivery to clients, and has been developing since 2000 initially with a domestic violence funded project through the then NSW Department for Women.
We work with each client as they present and then engage other members of the family as desired and with the agreement of the presenting client. Each member of the family impacted by inappropriate behaviours is given a session or sessions to ‘tell their story', and be what we call ‘taken through the framework’.
We then, where possible and with agreement, bring the family together. The family having the knowledge of our practice framework can then discuss the issues at hand and discover a new approach to repair relationships towards a more wholesome behaviours and happier families. Families may spend a few weeks or months attending weekly sessions as deemed necessary by both the family worker and the client family. We are not saying that all families end up in a happy place, but that they understand how behaviours impact and what they need to do to live in more wholesome relationships.
Program description
What led us to identify the need for the practice?
As part of our Safety Planning Project in 2000 we were introduced to the Restorative Justice Conferencing Model and attended training sessions by Terry O’Connell. At the time we were looking to improve our response to domestic violence as it appeared the response was piecemeal without help for those families who wanted the violence to stop and the relationship to improve. We began using the scripted conferencing questions and discovered that families began to tell us their story, sharing lots of emotion as well.
We use this affect framework today, to find outcomes to some of the most complex clients cases imaginable from domestic violence, sexual abuse, child abuse etc, we hear stories that some have never told before, we take our families through our framework and they begin to understand their emotional responses that precede behaviours. This knowledge assists them to attempt new more appropriate responses with a new understanding of why in the past they responded inappropriately when things don’t go right for them.
The aim(s) or ultimate intention(s) of the program or practice
The first stage was to enable the agency and staff to work cohesively and have clearly identified behaviours demonstrating this supportive environment. Our principles behaviour framework achieved this. Once staff of the agency were on the same page and understood their own emotions and behaviours then they were better placed to manage the difficult client cases presenting. The aim of the practice is to further develop and further address the needs of presenting client families with increased confidence.
What result(s) or outcome(s) for clients are you aiming for?
Results for our clients are improved emotional intelligence and with this client families are better placed to understand their emotional framework and so manage behaviours and improve relationships in the anticipation of living happier lives. Our client evaluations report on our achievements.
=> What are the key topic areas?
Our explicit affective practice information is shared with our client families, this includes firstly allowing the client family to ‘tell their story’. We then review their story in light of our “Tools of Life” which they are given, these consist of:
- An explanation of our 9 innate affects and the scripts that each person builds around each affect. There are two positive affects, one neutral and six negative affects. (Tomkins 1911 - 1991)
- An explanation of the affect of shame. “Shame affect is triggered any time interest or enjoyment is impeded”. (Nathanson, D. 1992)
- A description of the compass of shame as developed by Don Nathanson of the Tomkins Institute
- The scripted restorative justice questions, to challenge harmful behaviours. (Real Justice, 1999)
- The scripted restorative justice questions, assisting those harmed tell their story (Real Justice, 1999)
- The Social Discipline Window, (identifying practices of high support and pressure that results in a learning/nurturing environment.) (Real Justice 1999). - Tomkins Blueprint for life: Maximise and mutualise positive affect, mutualise and minimise negative affect, mutualise and minimise the inhibition of affect and do anything that achieves the above
- Kelly’s Blueprint for the development of healthy bonds, based upon Tomkins Blueprint. (V. Kelly,1996)
Geographical Area
- Regional centre or town
Target Group
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Is the program/practice based on an existing program or training model?
Yes
What was the name of the existing program?
The World Wide 'Restorative Justice Movement'.
What was the country of origin of the program?
Mainly began in New Zealand with the Maori Family Group Conferencing Model. The Wagga Wagga Conferencing model looked at the New Zealand experience and further developed a uniform script to use to challenge inappropriate behaviours and for those affected to describe how the behaviour has impacted on them. The response differed from the criminal justice response to wrong doing which asks; 'what happened, who did it and what punishment needs to be inflicted' the RJ movement asks 'What happened, who has been affected and what needs to happen to make things right' The Wagga Wagga Model; piloted by Terry O’Connell and others was a response to juvenile offences and now has world wide acclaim.
What was the original target group(s)?
Target groups were the Maori families in conflict and in Wagga Wagga, it was the young offenders, their families and the victim and their families.
If not designed or developed in Australia, has the program been modified for use in Australia with a focus on specific target groups?
Yes
If yes, describe how and why the program has been modified.
We have modified and developed a practice from the conferencing model because it is not always desirable or necessary to hold a conference. We have discovered that it is how people feel about what has happened and sharing this allows them to move ahead. We give them a rational framework to manage their emotions.
Is the program/practice based on the findings from empirical research, theory and/or a particular framework/model?
Yes(a) Briefly explain the research and/or framework/model
Restorative Justice Conferencing Model
(b) In what way(s) does this research and/or framework/model influence or inform the intended outcomes & objectives of the program/practice?
Our research is ongoing and we are also participating in a learning group with the Silvan Tomkins Institute to acquire a deeper knowledge of Tomkins psychology of affects. We anticipate our learning will improve our capacity to implement the model more effectively for future client families.Has the program/practice generated any publications, reports, videos, presentations or unpublished papers?
Yes
If yes, provide as much detail as possible such as author, title, publishing details, date, price, online availability.
Burton, A. (2001). 'The Goulburn Safety Plan Reports 1 and 2' NSW Department for Women. (Reports to Department for Women 2002 - 2003, Department now part of the Department of Community Services: electronic version of reports available upon request)
Burton, A. (2006) 'From Restorative Justice to an Explicit Affective Practice' in 'Developing Practice the child youth and family work journal' Autumn 2006 No15: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies and the NW Family Services for child youth and family sector. Kwik Kopy, 320 Pitt Street, Sydney. (electronic version available)
Burton, A, Smith C. Casey, M. (2002) 'All Assistance Short of Actual Help, an alternative response to family and community dysfunction'. Session presented at 'Dreaming of a New Reality' the Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, August 8-10, 002 Minneapolis, Minnesota. (available www.iirp.org/library/mn02/mn02_casey.html)
Donald, J. 2004, 'A Policy Framework for a Knowledge Society; Families and Knowledge'. Deakin University. (John Donald spent 12 months in action learning with us, resulting in his masters thesis - electronic version available upon request)
Nathanson, D. (1991) 'Shame and Pride Affect, Sex and the Birth of the Self' . Norton, New York, (Don Nathanson’s text is said to make Tomkins work more accessible, Nathanson developed the Compass of Shame)
O’Connell, T. Wachtel, B. Wachtel, T. (1999) 'Conferencing Handbook: the new REAL Justice Training Manual.' The piper’s press, Pennsylvania.
Silvan Thomkins Institute, www.silvantomkins.org
Tomkins, S.S (1962/63/91/92), Affect/Imagery/Consciousness, 4 vols, Springer, New York
Has the program/practice been the subject of evaluation?
Yes
(a) What is the type of evaluation?
External/independent
(b) What instruments were relied on to evaluate the program/practice?
- Written evaluations following attendance
- Other (details below)
(c) Briefly describe the outcomes of the evaluation:
The Department of Community Services reviewed our service in 2002. DoCS were satisfied with the project outcomes and have continued to fund the Family Support project within the recommendations of the review process.
Recent evaluations include:
Question: What changes occurred in your relationship with your children?
'She doesn’t think I am angry anymore, she sees the positive in me'
'Improve our communication skills to each other to understand each other better'
'Look after each other better'
'The children were no longer witnessing arguments between their parents. We improved the standard of our parenting'
'Show me how important they really are to me'
'They were happy to see mummy and daddy not yelling at each other any more, and being more affectionate to each other and the children. This has brought us all closer together as a family'
'They have noticed we are not fighting any more'
'Less yelling and screaming and wanting to strangle her'
'They talk to me'
'I understand what they are feeling and why they react to certain situations the way they do'
Will the program/practice be subject to evaluation?
Ongoing client testimony, we would like to engage outside evaluation for further validation of this practice and also to assist with further learning, critique and identification of practice improvements.