Who we help

Complex and difficult lives

The families of the children referred to us are often struggling in different ways. Parents may have had their own childhood difficulties such as mental health issues, neglect, drug and alcohol dependency, or been subject to domestic abuse.

A child’s emotional landscape is often bleak, their difficulties culminating in repeated exclusions from school and a breakdown in relationships at home. They often show aggressive or withdrawn behaviour and suffer from depression or anxiety. They may have struggled to form strong attachments within their family or maintain friendships at school. We support children and their families to re-build self-belief and create new beginnings.

Helping the whole family

Without an intervention tackling the root causes of emotional difficulties, children are unlikely to overcome troubling feelings and behaviours. These are then likely to recur or even worsen through adult life. 

The key to the success of our approach is recognising the family context to a child’s difficulties, and helping the whole family in order to bring about sustainable change.

We look to break the cycle of poor attachment, trauma or abuse through a change of context, gentle, practical activities and helping each family to feel valued.

Change that lasts

We are highly flexible in meeting each child’s own needs and tailor our programme to each individual family. Families set their own specific goals and we closely monitor the outcomes on each child’s emotional wellbeing, behaviour and relationships using internal and external evaluation methods. 

We work closely with other professionals who are close to the child. Our evidence shows positive and long-lasting change as a result of coming to Dandelion Time, as children start to feel understood and can blossom.