Secure Beginnings is a 14 to 20 week individualised program designed to support a parent to recognise the strengths and struggles in their attachment relationship with their infants and pre-school aged children.

After completing a comprehensive assessment, parents will be supported by a specialist in their home, using video feedback, to strengthen their ability to observe and reflect on their care-giving capacity. The programme offers parents an easy formula which they can use as a ‘map’ to recognise and respond to their child’s emotional needs.

Secure Beginnings will give parents a better understanding of children’s behaviours and what the behaviour is trying to achieve. Parents with infants will learn to make better sense of their infants needs. Parents with pre-school aged children will be able to better respond to their child’s emotional experience and manage more challenging behaviours.

Lasting change comes from parents developing and understanding of their relationship with their child rather than learning techniques to manage behaviour. Using video review and reflective discussion parents will be able to observe and reflect on their own individual experience.

Secure Beginnings is based on the Circle of Security© programme. The program offers parents a user friendly diagram to help recognise and respond to their child’s emotional experience. The Secure Beginnings clinicians will receive supervision and support from an accredited supervisor in order to maintain fidelity to the Circle of Security© model.

• Secure Beginnings is suitable for any parent with infants and pre-school aged children, who may be interested in understanding and improving their relationship with their children or may be struggling with managing challenging behaviours.

• Participants should ideally be the child’s primary caregiver.

• Be committed to participating in a 20 week programme.

• Assessments will involve parent interviews and structured playroom session.

• Weekly sessions can occur in home and/or in a clinic room at Dayspring Trust.

• All aspects of the work will be videoed and edited parts of this video will form the basis for the individualised program.

We will accept referrals that have been identified as appropriate by another service.

Referrals can be made to Secure Beginnings via Dayspring Trust, and will reviewed by our Practitioner for suitability for the programme.

Referrals can be made via phone or email or by completing the Secure Beginnings Referral Form on the Dayspring Trust website.

Dayspring Trust
Telephone: (09) 827 6321
Fax:             (09) 827 6322
Email:         admin@dayspring.org.nz