The Child Reflex step by step
The Kindreflex is a step-by-step plan that consists of 6 steps.
Want to learn more about theory behind the Child Reflex? Use the button below.
Want to learn more about the roadmap and the steps to take? Scroll down.
3 steps as a standard procedure
Healthcare professionals take the first 3 steps as a standard procedure with every client. The next 3 steps depend on the situation. They are not always necessary.
1.Have a conversation about the children and parenting
- Communicate that the topic of children and parenthood is a standard part of your organisation’s way of working.
- During the conversation, ask if the client has minor children at home or expects a child (pregnancy)
- If the client is staying as a resident, remember to ask if any childcare has been arranged.
- Record any relevant information regarding their children in their file: the number of children, their date of birth, their names and whether they reside with the client permanently.
2.Try to gauge the safety at home and the well-being of the children
- Always consult with other colleagues or an expert to make an initial assessment of the children’s safety and well-being. Labelling a home situation as troubling is a subjective matter. Your own values and norms can colour your judgement.
- Write a note in the client file whenever you have feeling that something is not right about the home situation and why.
3.Support the client in their role as a parent
- Ask regularly about the children and parenting.
- Discuss the impact of the situation on the children.
- Help the client to support their children’s resilience
- Involve the children and support them where necessary.
- Involve people who are closely related (e.g. children, partner, grandparents, neighbour, friend) and support them where necessary.
- If necessary, involve another facility to support the client.
- Make a note in the file how you supported the client in their role as a parent.
The three
next these
The three next steps depend on the situation and are not always necessary.
4. Investigate further if there are any concerns and if parents are willing
- Collect additional data to make an assessment of the situation. In doing so, look at both the risk factors and the protective factors.
- If necessary, use an assessment tool that identifies the blind spots.
- Listen to key people (partner, children, grandparents, …) If you involve children, you need their permission. After all, from the age of 12, children are already allowed to make a lot of decisions for themselves.
- Keep in mind that your own values, norms and experiences influence the way you interpret the situation. Therefore, always discuss the results with a fellow counsellor or expert before you talk to the client again.
- State your concerns concretely in a conversation with the client and be open to alternative explanations.
- Put together all the collected information and decide as a team if the situation is troubling.
- If you decide that the situation is troubling, continue to assess whether the client is willing to change the situation.
5. Restore safety
- Create a safe situation for the children. Start working with the client yourself or involve an appropriate support facility.
- Get started with the client’s context and involve the whole family.
- If necessary, set up help for the children as well.
- Discuss parenting regularly with the client and stay alert for troubling signs.
- Record the progress in the client file.
6.Involve a mandated facility
- Contact a mandated facility
- Inform the client of this and prepare them.
- Make a note of any follow-up actions in the client file.
- Together with the mandated facility, see what further actions you can take as a counsellor to help restore the safety.
- Stay in touch with the mandated facility to monitor the client’s progress.
Child Reflex animated tutorial
The EU-project ‘Make a difference’ created an animated tutorial of the Child Reflex to guide interested professionals through the different steps.