The Briefing provides a summary of the Food for Thought resources and gives a short overview of how these were developed.
This Interactive Introduction has been developed in recognition that it can be difficult for carers and workers to get to a Reflective Workshop at a time of their choosing. This short online guide introduces the user to some of the key concepts relating to Food for Thought. It aims to raise awareness of food in relation to care. Users are asked to reflect on their own experiences and relate these to some of the key findings of our research.
Reflective Tool Guidance
This resource introduces first time users to the Reflective Tool. It provides detailed guidance on the development of the Tool, why it can be helpful and how to use it.
The Reflective Tool is intended to be used by individual carers or residential workers after they have attended the Reflective Workshop or completed the Online Interactive Guide. The Reflective Tool will guide users through a series of questions and prompts to create a ‘snap shot’ of their personal food-related interactions with individual children in their care. It is intended that through such reflection, carers working in any context will be more able to articulate issues and understand the significance of their own, as well as the young person’s behaviours, values, expectations and feelings.
You can download two different versions:
The JOTIT Notebook is intended as a space for carers, staff or young people to write down food related reflections or events as they occur. Carers and staff may not have many opportunities for lengthy periods of structured reflection, so this provides a way to collect reminders of issues and events as they happen for those times when reflection is more possible. This resource can be completed by one person or a team/family. They may choose to draw on their JOTIT notes to complete the Reflective Tool, in preparation for supervision with managers or support workers or prior to Peer Support discussion.
Peer Support Guidance
Peer Support Guidance is provided for facilitators and supervisors who will be running the peer support discussions. Whilst the Reflective Workshops primarily concentrate on raising awareness and engaging in introductory discussion about the role of food in care, we have found that carers and residential workers need opportunities to discuss these issues in relation to the situations they are facing on a day to day basis. Peer Support groups which focus on food practices provide opportunities to share experiences or concerns about food and to learn with and from others in similar situations.
The Importance of Food in the Healing Process (reproduced with permission from Barton, S. Gonzalez, R. and Tomlinson, P. (2012 ) Therapeutic Residential Care for Children and Young People: An Attachment and Trauma-Informed Model for Practice, pp 153 -161 London: Jessica Kingsley )
Ruth Emond and Samantha Punch explain their research into the symbolic use of food in foster and residential care. An audio version of this interview may be downloaded from IRISS.fm internet radio.
Resource Handbook for Reflection
Punch, S., Dorrer, N., Emond, R. and McIntosh, I. (2009) Food practices in residential children’s homes: the views and experiences of staff and children . A resource handbook for reflection. Stirling: University of Stirling.
Leaflet for children
Emond, R., Dorrer, N., Punch, S. and McIntosh, I. (2014) ‘Children’s views on food in residential care’, Information leaflet for children and young people, Stirling: University of Stirling.