Feel Creative Report

BLUE CABIN

FEEL CREATIVE PROJECT REPORT

I have seen my child open up more about his feelings and talk openly about things…

Contents

Introduction and context Page 1

Who took part? Page 2

What was in a pack? Page 6

Impact : Children, Young People and Families Page 7

Impact : Associate Artists Page 11

Ren’s Story Page 12

Introduction & context

Funding from the Adoption Support Fund enabled Blue Cabin and South Tyneside Council to respond to the Covid-19 emergency, by developing bespoke child-centred creative activity packs, designed to explore and encourage discussions around feelings and emotions. The project was called the Feel Creative Project.

Blue Cabin and South Tyneside Council hoped that, as a result of the project, children would be more able to reflect on and express their feelings during lockdown. In addition, the aims were:

for carers to feel more confident to explore difficult feelings for carers to support children to manage their emotions that attachments between carers and their children were strengthened that communication within the home would improve that children and carers would feel less isolated that families would have improved links with South Tyneside Council

Packs were aimed at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children; 43 children and families took part. Children received a pack each month over August, September and October 2020

Prior to working through a Feel Creative Activity Pack with their children, carers were provided with support, guidance and accessible video tutorials about how they could support discussion and encourage the exploration of feelings in a healthy way.

Associate Artists Michelle Wood, Nicola Golightly and Elena Miller designed and developed the packs alongside a specialist team from South Tyneside Council.

Who took part?

43 children took part within 32 families. 21 families completed a short survey.

In total, 43 children took part within 32 families. 21 families completed a short survey at the start of the project to help us understand more about them, why they got involved and what their hopes were for the project. Information below represents the 21 families specifically. Feedback from South Tyneside Council points towards this information being a good representation of the 32 families who took part.

43% lived at home with 1 child

38% had 2 children living at home

14% had 3 children living at home

5% had 5 children living at home.

“It has been difficult to find things for the children to do, as my husband and I were shielding for several months and were afraid to leave the house. The children are used to being out every day doing lots of activities. This will give them something to focus on.”

Families chose to get involved in the Feel Creative Project for different reasons.

71%

had one child living with them under a special guardianship order (SGO).

95%

of those responding said that their child/ children love creative stuff and that the project was just right for them.

81%

19%

of families had 2 children living under an SGO.

10%

of families had 3 children living under an SGO.

24%

said that their child/ children would benefit from talking about their feelings

said they weren’t sure how to talk with their child/ children about their feelings and thought this project could help them with that.

We were keen to understand what worries the carers had for their children as a result of the Covid-19 emergency. Responses helped the Feel Creative team develop the contents of the Feel Creative Activity Packs.

76% 10%

The main worry for their child/ children during the Covid-19 emergency was children not going to school (76%).

However 10% were worried about the children going to school.

71% said that changes to contact with family, and changes to contact with friends was a worry.

71% 19% 24%

with 19% saying that contact with siblings was a worry.

24% were worried about their children becoming ill as a result of Covid-19.

“The children were already struggling with lots of issues before lockdown and we feel that being isolated for so long has affected their mental health, especially my older grandson.”

“Although she has continued to attend school part time during the pandemic, I worry about how this is going to affect her education, as she was already struggling to keep up with her peers.”

“Changes in routinemy child really struggles with this - it impacts on his behaviour which then affects the whole family.”

Carers were also asked what their own worries and concerns were as a result of the Covid-19 emergency.

57% 33%

were worried about the pressures of home schooling.

were worried about their child’s attendance at school.

52% said not being able to see friends or losing contact with friends.

were worried about their child’s contact with family/ siblings.

62% 81% 57%

said one of their main worries were their child/ children’s wellbeing.

were worried about their child becoming ill as a result of Covid-19.

“Not being able to see people close to us, feeling isolated and dependent on others for help with things like shopping.”

“We have also had a reduced income as I was furloughed and my partner is selfemployed. All of these things have added to the pressures on our family.”

What was in a pack?

The Feel Creative team reflected on the feedback from the first survey and set about planning the contents of the packs, as well as agreeing on when packs would be distributed, and which artists would work together to develop the content of each one. Packs were sent out in August, September and October 2020.

Packs included all the arts and crafts materials needed for the activities, along with ‘how to’ guides. At the end of the project, everyone received a Feel Creative Certificate.

The September pack was created by Elena and Michelle. The aim of the pack was to support children and young people to understand, share and manage their emotions. It included concertina pocket books, coping with change clay activity, fingerprint emojis and a pockets of feelings cushion.

August was Island of Me, created by Elena and Michelle. The aim of the pack was to support children and young people to recognise and talk about feelings. It included the Map of Me, find my feelings, a penny for your thoughts, sensory story packs and the feel good file.

October was Whatever the Weather, created by Nic, Elena and Michelle. This featured activities based around a party theme, with something to make, something to wear, something to play and a way to move. The pack included pass the parcel - do it yourself, dance party, party hats and making rainbows. There was also a ‘Let’s Bake’ recipe in the back of the booklet.

Overall, packs were distributed towards the end of each month by the Connected Carers team. Doorstep deliveries allowed for much needed and vital doorstep conversations and the chance to check in with carers face to face, following Covid-Safe rules.

In addition, a WhatsApp Group was set up for the families involved. The group was used to share updates about when packs would be sent, and links to video tutorials and guidance. Carers also voluntarily shared photos of children and their creations too, and artists reflected on the joy they felt when seeing the photos.

Impact: Children, Young People & Families

We can share findings about the impact of the Feel Creative project from 12 completed end of project surveys, anecdotal conversations with families who took part and reflection sessions between the Feel Creative team.

75% agreed strongly agreed

58%

33%

8%

that as a result of the Feel Creative project, their children have been able to reflect on their feelings during lockdown.

agreed that their children are more able to express their feelings, in particular more negative feelings and emotions.

of those who completed the end of project survey said that 1 child in the home participated in the project.

8% said that 3 children participated.

58% said 2 children participated.

50% 8% agreed strongly agreed

that as a result of the Feel Creative project, they feel more confident in exploring difficult feelings and supporting their children to manage their emotions.

75% 8% 67%

75% agreed and 8% strongly agreed that the attachment between them and their children had been strengthened

84%

strongly agreed or agreed that as a result of the project, they and their children feel less isolated with a direct link to the South Tyneside Council Connected Carers team.

25% agreed that as a result of the project, their children were more able to regulate their emotions.

agreed that as a result of the Feel Creative project, communication had improved within the home.

Whilst the project had a positive impact, 100% of those who completed the end of project survey said that they remain worried about their children. Their children’s wellbeing, the possibility of their child becoming ill, and the pressures children feel as a result of home schooling.

Half of carers also remain worried about their child’s family time arrangements with their family / siblings, with 42% also feeing worried about the lack of time their children were spending with their friends, as a result of lockdown.

When asked to describe their experience in a sentence or a few words, people said that the Feel Creative Project had been

and that children looked forward to receiving the packs each month. Some families talked about being creative together as a family, and

Some of the families also spoke about how it has helped them to talk about their feelings together, with one carer calling it a lifeline.

When asked to ask their child/ children to describe their experience of this project in a sentence or a few words, responses included that especially during lockdown. The children loved the crafts and activities, trying something new, and would like to do more.

“My child loved the crafts, although she preferred to do the activities herself, then show me her work afterwards. She prefers to do things independently.”

fun & enjoyable the children being proud of their work.

it gave the children something to get excited about,

“We loved our time doing all the activities and spending time with family creating stuff. We’d like to thank you for the parcels.”

“Thank you for the help and this being available to me and my family. It helps a lot, especially children not living with birth family... the creative feelings packs have brought them on a lot more.“

Impact: Associate Artists

Blue Cabin Associate Artists Elena, Michelle and Nicola worked on the project together. Weekly zoom meetings took place between them and Jenny Young (Blue Cabin Director), Suzie Devlin and Michelle Phillipson (Connected Carers Team at South Tyneside Council) to connect regularly about project aims, logistics, survey findings and to develop the contents of the creative packs. In addition, Elena, Michelle and Nicola worked together to devise pack contents – ensuring there was an overall cohesiveness to the Feel Creative activities. In addition, a Covid Safe packing session took place toward the end of the project on the October Pack.

A reflection meeting was held toward the end of the project to gather emerging findings and themes that could inform this report and any future work.

Elena loves experimenting with lots of different types of art, but she loves singing and writing stories the most!

There were several common themes that were identified:

+ The importance of being held in a safe, nurturing environment by Blue Cabin, and the collaborative approach working alongside other artists.

+ Regular contact with each other was key, through zooms, emails, and WhatsApp. Solutions could be found quickly, and artists felt part of a ‘team’.

+ Due to lockdown, and people working from home, bulk ordering of materials and pulling together hundreds of packs at home was challenging – the time, space and energy required should not be underestimated!

+ As a remote project, artists wondered whether the children, young people and families would engage with the packs – would they enjoy them, would they be overwhelming, how do we know it we got it right? It has been difficult for some artists not to get the immediate feedback they would usually receive during face-to-face sessions in nonCovid time. Receiving photos really helped, and artists were able to see the difference the packs were making.

Michelle is a printmaker and lives by the sea. She loves going for a dip in the sea, even in the winter!

Nic is a graphic designer, loves cycling and making things out of cardboard!

Ren’s story

We would like to share Ren’s story with you (names are pseudonyms)

Nelly (carer) said they decided to get involved in the Feel Creative Project because Ren had taken part in other activities, such as the Blue Cabin Creative Life Story Work All About Me sessions, and it helped Ren to talk about her experiences and her feelings both during the sessions and at home afterwards.

Ren enjoys arts and crafts and Nelly said it was nice for them to do these activities together and have conversations, away from the computer. They both liked the variety of activities that were provided in the Feel Creative Packs, and the presentation of the packs were fab!

It was helpful for Ren to be able to share her worries at school, following a conversation about the thought stones. Ren made some thought stones for herself and her parents. She took her own thought stones to school to use when she was feeling anxious. Her School Mentor noticed this, and they had a conversation about what Ren was using them for. Ren told her mentor that she found it helpful to have something like a thought stone, although she would prefer a softer object. It was agreed that Ren would take squishies into school instead. Ren’s mentor is now more aware of the times when Ren may be feeling anxious and encourages Ren to talk about this with her.

Ren has displayed her work from the All About Me sessions and from the Feel Creative Project on her bedroom walls - she is very proud of it! Ren liked the clay activities, and as a result, her carers bought her lots of art and craft materials and equipment for Christmas so that she can continue to enjoy art at home. Nelly has also enjoyed being part of the Feel Creative Project WhatsApp group as it enabled her to have more regular contact between other carers and she has also felt able to offer support to others within the group too.

We would like to leave you with a selection of quotes from families who took part…

It’s just nice to know we have such amazing support with this service...and someone cares. Thank you to all involved.

L loves the creative feelings project and everything else he has done from this. He says he likes to talk to me more. Thanks again.

I have seen my child open up more about his feelings and talk openly about things he hasn’t done beforehand…I can engage better and get out of the children what’s wrong. They open up and say how they’re feeling and why. This has helped me so much and I have learnt so much myself, so thank you. Keep up the good work to help and support other children/ families. We would like more activities like this.