The Solihull Approach is a brief intervention model used by a wide range of professionals from different agencies to work with children and families. It offers professionals a theoretical framework for thinking about the relationship between themselves, the child and the parent and provides a highly practical way of working with families. Many agencies are trained in the Solihull Approach in Leicestershire with the aim of developing a shared language for understanding children and families.

The Solihull Approach integrates the concepts of:

• Containment (psychoanalytic theory), processing anxiety and emotions so that the ability to think is restored.
• Reciprocity (child development), which focuses on the attunement between the adult/parent and child.
• Behaviour management (behaviourism), which is used later in the process after containment and reciprocity are understood.

SENCO’s, Family Support Workers and any member of school staff who would like to have a model for understanding the complexities of children’s presentations and for engaging with parents and other professionals using the language of Solihull. It is a wo day training package.

It would be hoped that the key principles would be shared back at school with staff. If the member of staff has the capacity and desire to run parenting groups based on the Solihull Approach, then EPIC can train a small group to go on to deliver the parenting programme. There is also a Whole School Solihull training pack should this want to be considered where every member of staff would attend a day and a half training as INSET.

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