Functional Family Therapy (FFT) - Standard
FFT is a 3-5 month, sequentially phased intervention, which builds skills and repairs relationships in families through weekly sessions, usually delivered at home and suitable for youth justice and social care referrals.
How does FFT work?
Families with a child or young person aged 10-17 years with significant anti-social and acting out behaviours such as missing from school, substance abuse, risk-taking or offending behaviour are typical presentations.
Families are seen initially to explain the intervention so they can make an informed decision to agree to the terms of the therapy. Our staff are skilled in building hope for change and engagement is therefore vital for the intervention to be successful for the family.
All family members need to be present during the delivery of FFT. This creates and sustains a balanced alliance between the therapist and all the family members. This is an important feature of the FFT model.
Symptoms and behaviours are seen within relational context and stuck patterns of relating are identified.
FFT has been researched intensively over the years, identifying core components that bring about change in family dynamics. It is a phased intervention with specific therapeutic techniques for each phase. By focusing on entrenched patterns between family members and reframing the function of their behaviour as well intended. Blame and guilt are reduced, and families start to feel hopeful in trying new ways of communicating.
Phased Model Approach
The following four stages are the key approach for FFT interventions.
1 Engagement: We engage each family member in the therapeutic work and encourage the potential for change through relating differently with each other.
2 Motivation: We begin understanding the family’s difficulties, styles of communication, behavioral patterns, and their functions. Our goal is to reduce blame and negativity, increase hopefulness and build motivation for change.
3 Behaviour Change: Therapists deliver tailored interventions for the family, addressing the risks, concerns and behaviour of parents and children. The focus is on skill-building, problem-solving and family connectivity rather than delving into the past.
4 Generalisation: Therapists help and coach the family in exploring how their new-found skills and strengths can be applied both in and outside the home. We help the family anticipate potential setbacks and identify a support network to help maintain and enhance the new skills and changes, to help prevent relapse.
Referrers and families have access to 3 to 4 follow-up sessions up to 6 months after finishing the therapy. This allows the family to refresh the skills learned in new situations and upcoming crises. These sessions can also be used to re-unify the family after a short period in care.
Quality Assurance
Adherence to the model is a strictly followed protocol, the alignment of the model to the intervention is vital to better outcomes.
The QA around implementation is completed in a structured form.
1 Weekly Group supervision is completed with a qualified FFT Supervisor.
2 Weekly risk/safeguarding meetings are held to devise safety plans and minimise risks.
3 FPM have an intensive data collection process to ensure all elements of the pathway are collated, allowing comprehensive feedback.
What is vital to the success for the intervention is the planning involved. FFT therapists plan for their sessions carefully and build into their planning the necessary skills and techniques that they will intend to use in a session. Families are often asked to complete tasks between sessions to practice their own skills and to introduce new ways of communicating. The whole family approach is key.