Seeing Is Believing

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Seeing Is Believing

• The Childrens Center
• Nick Tsandes, LCSW

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Seeing Is Believing

• Developed by the Irving B. Harris
  FoundationUniversity of Minnesota
• A strengths-based videotaping strategy designed
  to enhance the caregiver-child relationship
• Specifically designed for in-home visitors
• Can be used in a variety of settings (homes,
  offices, shelters, schools)

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Attachment

• All infants develop attachments to their
  caregivers
• Attachments are either secure or insecure
• Caregiver sensitivity is the most important
  antecedent to infant security
• Sensitivity involves reading infants signals
  correctly and responding to them appropriately

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Caregiver Sensitivity

• A sensitive caregiver
• Recognizes that even a tiny baby has cues and
  signals (gestures, voice, facial expressions,
  body movements)
• Tries to interpret those cues accurately
• Responds to the infant based on the cues
• Responds consistently

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Caregiver Sensitivity

• The child in a secure attachment relationship has
  learned to trust that caregivers will meet
  his/her needs.
• The secure child has also learned to trust in
  his/her ability to solicit care

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Insensitive Care

• Is defined by
• A pattern of chronic unresponsiveness, when a
  caregiver ignores infants cues
• Erratic or unreliable responsesthe infant cannot
  predict how he/she will be cared for
• Parental intrusiveness, when a caregiver
  overstimulates the child, ignoring the childs
  cues

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Insensitive Care

• Is not defined by
• The occasional inability of a parent to respond
  quickly to a babys needs
• An occasional misinterpretation of a babys cues

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Principles of Practice

• Principle One--Relationship Based
• A good, trusting relationship is essential to
  effective service
• Promise no more than you can deliver (Be clear
  about how often, and what you can and cannot
  provide)
• Do what you say you will do (trust takes time)
• Keep going back (even when its difficult)

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Principles of Practice

• Principle TwoStrengths Focused
• Focusing on strengths builds confidence and trust
• Every child, parent, and caregiver has strengths
  and motivations that serve them well
• Parents want to do whats best for their children

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Principles of Practice

• Principle Three--Care is Individualized
• Worker focuses on
• This child
• This parent
• This family

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Principles of Practice

• Principle Four--Context is Valued
• Every parent-child relationship is embedded in
• Nuclear and extended family
• Culture
• Community
• Larger society

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Promoting Sensitivity

• Videotaping parent(s) interacting with their
  children, and later watching the video with the
  parent(s)
• Encouraging parents to observe, identify, and
  accurately respond to their childs cues
• By asking open ended questions
• Honoring the parallel processmodeling
  sensitivity in our work with families

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Why Videotape?

• Focus is on caregiver-child relationship
• The strengths of the relationship can be easily
  observed
• Highlights parents expertise
• Caregivers can observe, identify, and build on
  their parenting strengths
• Caregiver can begin to see the world from the
  childs perspective
• Offers new perspective of the relationship
• A keepsake is created for the family

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Presenting the Idea

• Videotaping is
• Voluntary
• Strengths focused and fun
• The tape is for the family
• Confidential

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Setting the Tone

• Have Fun
• Model a non-judgmental tone
• Wonder with the parent
• Match the parents tone where appropriate

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Activities to Videotape

• Everyday childcare tasks
• Feeding, bathing, dressing, diapering
• New accomplishments
• Holding head up, rolling over, walking, saying
  bye-bye
• Favorite activities
• Experimentation
• Exploring a new toy

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Technicalitiesthe Camera Shot

• Focus on face-to-face interactions
• Decide on the activity before you film
• Adjust the camera angle to get the best image of
  the parent-child interaction
• Full-Length
• Chest
• Close-up
• Waist

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Taking Cues From the Baby and Caregiver

• Follow the familys lead at all times
• The Baby
• Fatigue, irritability
• The parent(s)
• Anxiety, distraction
• (Dont be afraid to ask)
• Know when to stop taping

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What to Observe

• Babys development
• Babys cues
• Caregivers response to cues
• Caregivers use of language
• Caregivers beliefs (about themselves and the
  baby)
• Unrealistic expectations of child and/or parenting

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How Much to Talk

• Keep it Relaxed
• Use Open Ended Questions
• Invite parents to reflect on the experience of
  caring for this child
• Comment on the good stuff
• She is so comfortable with you.

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Intervention Hints

• Make positive, and very specific comments about
  the baby and parent
• Offer verbal cues to the parent that bring
  him/her back to the childs cues
• Explore the parents hopes and dreams for this
  child
• When things arent going well, gently talk
  through the baby

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Viewing the Tape Together

• Focus on strengths
• Ask, dont tell
• Encourage perspective-taking
• Address Broader Issues

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Words to Use While Viewing

• You seemed to know just what she wanted there.
  How did you know?
• What do you think your baby was feeling then?
• I wonder how it feels to a baby when
• Look at what your baby just did. What do you
  think he was trying to tell you?

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Words to Use While Viewing

• If you know the caregiver is reading a signal
  incorrectly, gently lead
• Maybe so. Sometimes,though, when babies do that
  it meanswhat do you think?
• What does that feel like for you?

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Practice Tape Structure

• Introduction
• Goals of the practice session
• Viewing the clip
• Analyzing strategies used by the worker
• Putting yourself in the role of the home visitor

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Seeing Is Believing

• Special thanks to
• Terrie Rose, PhD
• Kay Barickman, PhD