Parenting an Anxious Child (PAC) – for children under the age of 8
What is it?
Parenting An Anxious Child (PAC) is a group that supports primary aged children (aged 5-11 years) and their parents/carers to learn about anxiety, and to explore helpful coping strategies that they can use to manage anxiety.
PAC teaches techniques based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) – a psychological therapy that focuses on the relationships between thoughts (cognitions), behaviours and feelings. CBT is proven to be effective for reducing anxiety.
What does the course involve?
PAC is delivered as both an online and an in-person group.
In Person PAC:
In person PAC is made up of 3 Information Sessions for parents/carers. Children aged 8-11 years old are also invited to attend two Putting Theory into Practice Sessions, along with their parents. If children are not able to attend (or are under 8), parents can still come along to learn how to support their child to use their workbook.
Online PAC:
Online PAC is made up of 4 Information Sessions for parents/carers . All sessions are for parents/carers only.
The Workbook
Parents/carers and children will each be sent a workbook that goes alongside the group. You and your child can use the workbooks to write about your experiences and find information to help you to practise some of the strategies that we will discuss. This workbook is for you to keep, and you do not need to show anyone what you write in it. We ask that you bring the workbook along to the group sessions.
Practising at Home
Each week, we will give you some activities to go away and try. These give you an opportunity to practise the strategies mentioned in the group sessions. We are always happy to hear how you have got on with these and if you have found anything tricky, but you do not have to share this if you don’t want to.
How will this help me?
Course Content
Online
Understanding Anxiety (1 hour 45 minutes)
Online session for parents/carers: This session will explore what anxiety is, anxiety cycles that are unhelpful, and how to help break out of these.
In Person
Understanding Anxiety (1 hour 45 minutes)
In person session for parents/carers: This session will explore what anxiety is, anxiety cycles that are unhelpful, and how to help break out of these.
Online
Emotion regulation (1 hour 45 minutes)
Online session for parents/carers. This session focuses on how parents can support children to make sense of their feelings and communicate these effectively. It will explore how to respond to worries and problem solve with your child.
In Person
Understanding my anxiety (1 hour)
This in person session is for children (8-11 years old) to attend alongside their parents. There will be an introduction to what happens in our bodies when we feel anxious and strategies to manage anxiety.
Online
Positive parenting and building self esteem (1 hour 45 minutes)
Online session for parents/carers. This session will introduce strategies such as using praise and rewards, limit setting/boundaries, and routines to help promote positive behaviour. We will also discuss the importance of parental self care.
In Person
Emotion regulation (1 hour 45 minutes)
In person session for parents/carers. This session focuses on how parents can support children to make sense of their feelings and communicate these effectively. It will explore how to respond to worries and problem solve with your child.
Online
Implementing skills to practice (1 hour 45 minutes)
This session focuses on how parents can effectively use the workbook provided with their child at home.
In Person
Managing my anxiety (1 hour)
This in person session is for children (8-11 years old) to attend alongside their parents. Children will learn more techniques to help manage feelings of anxiety.
In Person
Positive parenting and building self esteem (1 hour 45 minutes)
In person session for parents/carers. This session will introduce strategies such as using praise and rewards, limit setting/boundaries, and routines to help promote positive behaviour. We will also discuss the importance of parental self care.