Other services
At IRIS we offer a variety of other services. Our organisational structure enables us to be very flexible in what we can offer. If we are unable to respond ourselves we will do our best to signpost you to other organisations that might be of assistance.
If you don’t see what you are looking for - its always worth talking to us.
We aim to assist and may be able to adapt or offer a bespoke service that meets your particular needs.
Examples of other work undertaken by IRIS :
Family work / Solution focused therapy - As its name suggests solution focused work focuses on solutions rather than problems, and is goal oriented. One of the difficulties with a problem is that it can take us over and cloud our view- we know we don’t want the problem but lose sight of what we do want. By asking lots of goal oriented questions the practitioner and client can begin to get an idea of where things should be heading. Knowing where you want to be is the first step to getting there. There are likely to be some times, however few and far between, when you are nearer to the ‘solution’ than others. By focusing on what is happening at these times, ’the exceptions’, it becomes clearer what can be done to contribute to the resolution of the issue which brought you here in the first place. At IRIS we are able to work with you using solution focused and other family work techniques to enable you to achieve positive outcomes for you and your family.
Co-parenting sessions - Separated parents often have specific issues to discuss regarding their children, where they may have different views and find resolution of these difficult. Often parents in these situations want a more time limited and focused intervention than family work or mediation can provide. As ex-partners they do not want to attend sessions in couple work. The co-parenting sessions at IRIS provide an opportunity for discussion and resolution to be reached on pertinent and specific co-parenting issues.
Practical parenting skills - in addition to the work described under our parent/child interaction work section, at IRIS we can undertake packages that include giving guidance on practical parenting skills such as preparing basic meals, adapting the home to be child friendly, how to play, etc.
Life story work - A sense of identity, and of our origins is important for everyone, in order to have an understanding of the person we are. Children in care often experience many changes of social workers and carers and, as a result, information about their past and heritage may be lost, forgotten or incomplete. Life story work helps children separated from their birth families make sense of their past experiences. Some children may be too young to remember or understand what has happened in their lives. Part of life story work is ensuring that the child has a physical record, usually a life story book, that they can refer to in the future as frequently or occasionally as they want, that draws knowledge of their personal history together in an appropriate way. IRIS is able to accept referrals to undertake life story work.
Support to professionals - At IRIS we aim to support other professionals wherever we can. We do this in a variety of ways; by forming collaborative partnerships, co-working arrangements, offering advice and consultation, and assisting with practical arrangements such as use of venue.
