Working with Youth Who Exhibit Challenging Behaviors

Pamela Parkinson

Training Description

Learn what a youth’s challenging behaviors are attempting to communicate!  While it is necessary to understand the function of the child's behaviors (since it is a communication to us), we also need to assess and understand what this means in the context of the family relationships.  This understanding will allow us to better support caregivers and teachers as they attempt to help our kids to be successful in school and in the home.  You do not have to be a clinician to attend since this is a training for anyone who works with kids who have challenging behaviors!

Learning Objectives

• Ability to assess the function of the child's behaviors & what the child is trying to accomplish systemically in the family.
• Be able to identify what caregivers need to support their kids and how to develop an effective behavior plan with the family and school.
• Will be able to construct an effective behavior plan utilizing the essential ingredients of a proactive plan AND of a negative consequence.

Agenda

9:45      Sign In

10:00      Section I:  The relationship between family dynamics and youth 

                symptoms/behaviors.  

11:45    BREAK (CEUs will not be issued for this time)  

12:00     Section II:  Power struggles and behavior theory

1:00      LUNCH (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

1:30      Section III: Culture and parenting!

2:00       Small group practice to develop behavior plans

3:00      BREAK (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

3:15      Reviews of some things that do not work and Q and A

4:30      ADJOURNMENT

Meet Our Trainer

PAMELA PARKINSON, PHD, LCSW, is a clinical psychologist and clinical social worker, whose specialty area is working with youth and their families with an emphasis on the importance of family engagement in work with youth.  Dr. Parkinson is also a certified PCOMS evidence-based practice trainer.  She currently works as a child/family consultant to CBO’s in the Bay Area and Pamela has worked in level 14 residential, NPS, hospitals, and a variety of community-based settings including outpatient clinics, schools, diversion, kinship, etc.

This course meets the qualifications for (5.5) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.