Winston’s Wish – SWITCH Programme
Introduction:
Winston’s Wish has been awarded 5 year funding from the Big Lottery as part of their Realising
Ambition project, SWITCH. The Realising Ambitions programme is part of a consortium, led by Catch
22 and includes Social Research Unit-Dartington, Young Foundation and Substance. Projects have been
selected because they have shown their effectiveness in helping children and young people (CYP) fulfil
their potential in life, while reducing their pathways into offending. The consortium works together to
build an evidence base, for the UK, of best practice in supporting young people, so that more children
and young people receive the highest quality of service.
The Winston’s Wish programme, SWITCH, is a therapeutic support intervention designed specifically
to help bereaved, harder to reach, vulnerable young people aged 8-14 years old, in Gloucestershire
and West Sussex. Switch aims to help these children and young people to recognise, understand and
manage feelings and behaviours in relation to their grief; learn new coping and communication skills
and strategies; reduce social isolation and make positive life choices – all helping them to avoid
pathways into offending.
What is involved in the SWITCH programme?
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2 – 4 family meetings
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4 group sessions for children and young people
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Parent Groups
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A celebration day
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Completion of 1 pre and 3 post (1, 6, & 12 month) Strength & Difficulty
Questionnaires
How we identify children for the programme:
This cohort of bereaved children are also experiencing one or more of the following:

difficulties at school, including truancy, exclusion or risk of exclusion;

difficult relationships with friends and/or family;
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difficulty managing their behaviour and/or emotions.
SWITCH Outcomes – the story so far:
There are 3 clearly defined outcomes we seek to achieve with this programme which are:
1.
Behaviour – reduced aggression and misbehaviour
2.
Emotional well-being – reduced anxiety & depression
3.
Relationships – improved peer-relationships
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These outcomes, if improved, have been shown to be associated with likely subsequent reductions in
involvement with the criminal justice system – the ultimate aim of the Realising Ambition programme.
Positive improvements in the following areas, which are indicators that are used to determine if CYP are
moving toward being better able to cope with their emotions and control their negative thinking:
Early indicator impact scores suggest a 62% overall improved impact score across each of our 3 outcomes:



Behaviour - reduced aggression and misbehaviour
o Children show reduction in disobedient, aggressive and defiant behaviours
Emotional well-being – reduced anxiety and depression
o Children display improvements across a range of physical and emotional symptoms
Relationships – improved peer relationships
o Children show improved relationships with their peers
Anna’s journey:
Anna before the intervention:
Anna was being supported by the Parent Support Advisor at her primary school because she was presenting
with emotional and behavioural difficulties that were impacting on her ability to make and maintain
friendships. These difficulties were impacting on Anna’s learning and her general self-esteem. Anna said that
she had found it difficult not getting angry, especially with her friends. She described some of her previous
behaviours, which included some that were physically aggressive and she had exhibited when she was
younger. Anna expressed concern that she did not want her anger to get out of control again. During a family
meeting session Anna said, “I am worrying about getting angry with other people”.
Mum’s feedback 6 months post intervention:
“There have been some significant changes in terms of Anna’s mood and general behaviour. Her aggression
has reduced and [I feel we] are getting on better.”
Referrer feedback 6 months post intervention:
“The impact on the child I referred has been huge. She is generally much happier in all areas of her life. She is
now able to speak to her mother about how she is feeling without worrying that she will upset her. She is now
able to manage her feelings around the death of her family members. Whilst she still feels sad at times, those
feelings no longer override all aspects of her life. Anna has strategies to manage her feelings and positive
ways to remember the family members. As a result her behaviour and reactions to others were greatly
improved, thus friendship conflicts and issues have reduced. She is now able to concentrate and engage fully
with her learning. She is able to empathise with others and impart skills she has learnt. She no longer
experiences headaches and stomach aches that require her to go home”.
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