NCJ Number
81260
Date Published
1980
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A community-based rehabilitation program for delinquent children in Stuttgart, W. Germany is described.
Abstract
Clients are 4-10-year-olds caught stealing or committing arson. Treatment is offered on an inpatient or an outpatient basis, depending upon individual family situations and the gravity of the disturbance. Family involvement in the treatment program is required. Parents participate in group therapy, individual counseling, and parenting skills training in weekend groups on retreats together with their children. Therapeutic techniques applied with the children include individual and group treatment through games, sports, and role playing. Inpatient treatment lasts 21 months, daily outpatient treatment 19 months. Both arrangements accept children up to age 10 and enable continuation of school work through program coordination with local educational institutions. A third, long-range program component offers periodic counseling, also used as followup, that can continue until a youth is capable of independent living. A 1-year experiment was initiated to locate a small (5-clients, two therapists) living group in the general neighborhood of the family residences to simplify family member involvement and emphasize the interrelationship of the therapy, the home, and the community. This type of arrangement requires that therapists exhibit tolerance and flexibility of approach and make a commitment to see clients through the rehabilitation process. The excursional group outings with parents and children were deemed a successful family like training technique, but which involved extensive planning and coordination to accommodate both staff and parental schedules and arrange the various prerequisite technicalities.