‘It's Just Common Sense isn't it?’: Exploring Ways of Putting the Theory of Resilience into Action

Abstract

Planning for accommodated children may often be built around ensuring a secure home. However, it is also important to attend to other domains in children's lives. The promotion of the long-term emotional well-being of children has to be based on information about the factors associated with better outcomes. The findings from research into factors related to resilience in children provide many useful pointers for such practice. Brigid Daniel, Sally Wassell and Robbie Gilligan describe a pilot project aimed at exploring the feasibility of putting ideas from the concept of resilience into action. Through a series of workshops with child care practitioners the domains of secure base, education, friendship, talents and interests, positive values and social competencies were considered. Ideas for mapping levels of current resilience were discussed, as well as suggestions for practice aimed at its promotion.