Healthy family relationships

“Healthier and Happier Schools, Homes and Communities:  One Important Relationship at a Time”

“I Matter” is a UK program that specialises in helping professionals and parents who have had a worry about a child for more than nine months and who have tried all sorts of things that haven’t yet worked. By refocusing on the health of relationships rather than simply on the behaviour of a child, I Matter training has helped many families overcome difficulties when they didn’t know where to turn.

The program is run by Dr Cathy Betoin, a practising clinical psychologist and experienced teacher and parent who has worked in schools, child psychology and CAMHS settings for over 30 years with children and families who are managing a wide variety of challenging and complex behaviours. Cathy has a passion for ensuring that parents, carers and professionals who work directly with children have access to the knowledge and understanding that can help them make a difference.

The Adult-Child Well-Being ‘I Matter’ Framework is a carefully organised well-evidenced set of ideas organised into a practical foundation for decision making.  It draws attention to the fact that to help a challenging or complex child we have to put adult-child relationships, adult-child stress and child development back on the map.

“Children’s well-being is important to us.  We knew what we wanted – but not how to get there.  I Matter Training is helping our schools pull various disparate initiatives into an organised approach, putting adult-child relationship health and children’s development at the heart of our school development planning.”   

Huw Davies and Pete Barfoot  –  Kendal Headteachers

“This approach rebuilds the hope and confidence of professionals and parents by providing a language and concepts that we can all work together with that ties elements together. It just makes complete sense.”

Dr Amy Lee: GP Safeguarding Lead – Kendal Integrated Care Community