New research: Lighthouse Parenting
We are delighted to present some new research just published which shows that our Lighthouse Parenting group programme helps parents feel significantly more confident and less stressed in their parenting role (from their own self report), and helps them be genuinely more in-tune with their children (from videos of parents and children playing together, coded by researchers). This is brilliant for children, because when parents feel steady and confident, and when they see their children more clearly, children thrive.
Huge congratulations to all the parents who have completed the Lighthouse group programme. Participating in this kind of attachment-oriented therapy takes real bravery and dedication, and can be painful at times. You showed us your hearts, and we won't forget it.
Cultivating curiosity about children’s minds is at the heart of the Lighthouse Parenting approach. Lighthouse parents know that children don’t need us to understand them perfectly, or to always get it right…. But they do need us to want to understand how they see things. In parenting, curiosity counts!
To the parents who allowed their anonymous data to be used in the research here, and to the parents in all our groups before and since: thank you always for your feedback - you’ve really 'paid it forward' by helping us shape up the Lighthouse group programme to be even more helpful for new families, each time we run it.
This is just the beginning! We continue to run Lighthouse Parenting MBT groups for families in our NHS services. It's the highlight of our working week!
We are running Lighthouse training workshops with clinicians round the world who also want to work in this innovative and authentic way with families.
Together with our research colleagues at University College London and the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, we are now preparing for a bigger and more detailed treatment trial.
Gerry is already working on new and creative adaptations to the Lighthouse programme with colleagues in the UK, Germany and Australia. So far, we have seen the Lighthouse approach work well for families in really difficult circumstances, where children are at risk of harm. But parents we meet from a whole variety of backgrounds and circumstances tell us they find something here for them.
And we are launching our Lighthouse Parenting website! Please come back and visit again soon as we add more content! We look forward to building a really rich and thought-provoking space for parents, and anyone else who cares deeply about children.