Working Together to Strengthen Our Community

Providing Real Help for At-Risk Children and their Families.

Windwood Farm Home for Children now offers treatment-oriented, goal-directed services for community children and families on an out-patient basis. These day-services are available in addition to our well-established residential treatment program for boys ages 5-16.

For almost 25 years, Windwood Farm has specialized in bringing HELP, HOPE and HEALING to troubled children, as well as providing family reunification services. In an effort to collaborate with other community agencies and organizations, we have expanded our program. We are now offering specialized out-patient services in the community to stabilize and strengthen the child�s placement or prevent out-of-home placement.

All Windwood�s staff receive CPR, First Aid, and non-violent crisis intervention (CPI) training, as well as ongoing training specific to the population, activities, and issues addressed. Our employees routinely have thorough background checks through SLED, the Central Registry and the Sex Offender Registry.

We are pleased to announce that the following array of community-based services are now available to children (boys and girls) with special emotional and/or behavioral needs and their families. All programs are supervised by Windwood Farm�s experienced, qualified staff.

Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)

Our Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Program maximizes the use of our horses and combines the power of the horse with effective teaching philosophies, experiential learning, and discussion groups. This program is an innovative approach that gives children and their families an alternative outlet for emotional growth and learning and allows them to be both mentally and physically involved in their own healing process.

In EAL, the horse is used as a therapeutic tool in a team approach. Individuals or groups are presented with a task they must accomplish with the horses. Horses often mirror what is happening with the behavioral interactions among the participants. This allows the participants to identify effective ways to approach situations, so they can apply these skills to other areas of their lives. We have therapists and equine specialists who are certified by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA).

Equine Assisted Learning sessions are offered to individuals, families, or in a focus group format. Cost: $85.00 for family sessions, $50.00 for individual sessions, and $20.00 per child in group sessions.

Community Support Services

This program is designed to correct significant problem behaviors and improve the child�s level of functioning. All therapies and activities will be individualized to meet specific, pre-determined goals. Activities will relate to management of the child�s emotional/behavioral needs, skill building, and improvement or maintenance of successful functioning.

Our team will work to develop your child�s practical living skills and to maintain or improve overall emotional/ behavioral functioning. Activities will be selected to assist the child in developing/enhancing self-expression, social interaction, and self-esteem.

Windwood Farm will provide Community Support Services on Saturdays and Sundays during the school year and on weekdays during the summer at our campus Environmental Center. We will utilize a group format for children ages six to 10 and 11 through 14. Eight to 10 children will be placed in each group, and adjustments in group placement will be made according to the developmental levels of your child. Groups may be developed for special populations, as needed.

We will use a �day camp� format and utilize a variety of therapeutic interventions including: groups on anger management, conflict resolution, and social skills development; encouraging healthy lifestyle choices through physical exercise using our fitness trail and obstacle course, sporting activities and skill development through, baseball, basketball, and fishing; and, group experiential activities using our challenge course. Additionally, Equine Assisted Learning Focus Groups on anger management, abandonment, and grief are available.

Each day�s session will last approximately six hours. The cost is $20 per hour/per child. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided. Limited transportation from community pick-up points may be provided.

Behavioral Intervention (BI)

Regularly scheduled, preplanned behavioral interventions are designed to optimize a child�s emotional and behavioral functioning in his/her natural environment. Behavioral Intervention (BI) utilizes the application of clinically planned techniques that promote the development of healthy coping skills, adaptive patterns of interaction with others, and appropriate responses to environmental stimuli. Behavioral shaping and redirection are essential components of the service.

The BI program provides children the opportunity to change existing negative behaviors, acquire new behaviors, and function more effectively within their environment. This is accomplished through a one-on-one relationship between the child and the Behavioral Interventionist as they participate in a variety of therapeutic activities.

Children ages six through 16 will be accepted into this program. We will work with the parent/caregiver to develop a strategic �fade out� plan for the BI before the services are concluded.

Cost: $50.00 an hour for the initial assessment of needs and development of individualized care plan (up to three hours); $25.00 an hour for ongoing services.

Strengthening Families Program (SFP)

SFP is an internationally recognized parenting and family strengthening program for high-risk families. It is an evidence-based, family skills training program that helps reduce problem behaviors; delinquency; and, alcohol and drug abuse in children. It has also been shown to improve social skills and school performance. Child mistreatment also decreases as parents strengthen bonds with their children and learn more effective parenting skills.

The SFP is a 14-session, scientifically based training program to improve parenting skills, children�s life skills, and family life skills. Parents and children participate in SFP, separately and together.

Sessions include all the critical core components needed for success, with parent and child practice time during family sessions as they learn positive interactions, communication, and effective discipline. The parenting sessions review appropriate developmental expectations and teach parents to interact positively with their children.

Ages: Separate groups for parents of children five through 11 and for parents of children 12 through 16. Cost: $500.00 per family for 14 sessions.

These groups will be provided on the Windwood Farm campus, or private groups may contract with us to provide this service to families at your own location. Private groups must have at least six families registered before sessions will begin.

Windwood Farm Staff will teach your child . . .

� Skills for getting along with adult authority figures -following instructions, accepting consequences, disagreeing appropriately, dealing with accusations, making an apology, etc.

� Skills for identifying and expressing feelings appropriately

� Anger/frustration management skills

� Assertion skills for expressing needs and wants

� Problem solving/decision making skills

� Conflict resolution/negotiation skills

� Skills needed to learn positive self-statements and use positive self-talk

� Skills for organizing tasks and activities

� Skills for time management

� Skills for maintaining positive peer relationships � giving compliments, expressing concern and understanding for others, listening to others, making an apology, interrupting appropriately, disagreeing appropriately, coping with anger and aggression from others, accepting criticism, waiting your turn, showing respect, dealing with accusations, resisting peer pressure, etc

� To maintain/build positive peer friendships and disconnect from negative peer relationships/influences

� To maintain/build positive family connections/contacts that promote a sense of safety and belonging, and accept/support direct expression of feelings

� To maintain/build positive peer friendships that support self-esteem and minimize social withdrawal/isolation

Our Staff will maintain positive interactions with your child by . . .

� Engaging in fun, shared activities

� Providing frequent praise and rewards for engaging in normal routine/activities, talking out feelings and directly, actively dealing with daily problems and stresses

� Initiating frequent contact throughout the day to monitor your child�s mood level

� Offering praise for attempts at positive self-evaluation, self-control and realistic goal setting

� Encouraging you to identify positive aspects of self and situations

� Mentoring your child in areas of talent and/or strength to help build a sense of contribution/accomplishment

� Meeting your child�s safety needs � they will not allow others to pick on or bully your child

� Developing a safety plan, when needed

� Providing support/encouragement for attention to grooming and appearance, and for maintaining healthy lifestyle choices

Windwood Farm�s experienced staff is available to enhance the programs already available in our community AND to assist the individual caregiver. We bring many years of experience in working with at-risk children and families using proven therapeutic techniques. Our goal is to partner with other agencies and organizations to offer fresh hope for positive change in the lives of children with emotional and behavioral challenges.

If you you�d like to know more about the services provided by Windwood Farm, please contact Debbie McKelvey, Executive Director, by calling 843-884-5342, ext. 224 or email:

deborah.mckelvey@windwoodfarm.org

Let�s work together!