Trauma-informed research shows a secure attachment between a child and caregiver is vital for the child’s overall growth. Methodist Children’s Home equips parents and caregivers with an array of tools to help nurture their relationships with their children.
The Circle of Security (COS) course is part of the parent education curriculum provided by all MCH teams across Texas and New Mexico. Throughout the eight-week course, facilitators share educational video clips and graphics with participants and lead discussions and activities focused on strengthening and supporting secure parent-child relationships.
“Children with secure attachments show increased empathy and capacity to handle emotions, greater self-esteem and enhanced school readiness,” said Traci Wagner, vice president for programs. “The Circle of Security course provides time for parents and caregivers to reflect on their own childhood experiences and they learn new skills to nurture their children. In this process, we see generational cycles of trauma broken and hope and healing begins.”
Participants learn about the core emotions every person experiences (curiosity, joy, sadness, fear, anger, and shame) and how to “be with” their child as they grow up.
“Caring for an infant or toddler for the first time can be very nerve-wracking for parents,” said Allyson Eclavea Phinney, case manager at MCH Family Outreach in Killeen who facilitates COS classes. “We teach them how to recognize and respond to their child’s needs in order to build those secure relationships.”
COS classes also provide safe spaces for participants to share their individual family’s progress, further fostering a support network for all involved.
“I have been attending Circle of Security classes for years,” said Julene Figueroa, family and community coordinator for Central Texas 4-C in Temple, Texas. “Even though my children are adults now, I find I’m still able to use the tools I’ve learned through this course to support them.”
MCH Family Outreach teams collaborate with churches, schools and other like-minded organizations to offer parent education services, like Circle of Security, to communities at no cost.
“We really enjoy seeing the fruit from the partnerships we pour into across our service area and how children, youth and families learn and grow together,” said Frankie Cones, director of MCH Family Outreach in Killeen. “Our teams offer the toolkit parents and caregivers can use to empower their families to live life to the fullest.”
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