Psychoeducational groups are an excellent opportunity for school social workers to help and support young learners who are experiencing divorce in their families. Such children avoid participating in activities that are appropriate for their age such as playing with their age mates or going to school (Vassilopoulos et al., 2013). Different factors such as developmental stage, membership, time, place, and diversity among others should be put into consideration when forming groups and conducting sessions. Small groups can help the fifth graders feel that they are not alone. A group format helps shift attention from being totally on individuals. In addition, small groups allow them space for being creative and contemplate on the changes in their families. Therefore, a group of four children would be ideal. Fifth graders are usually between the ages of 10 and 11 years hence may have difficulties concentrating for long on a challenging topic. As a result, sessions should conducted for approximately thirty minutes.
Students should not be forced to join a group because those forced may cause distractions. Furthermore, the students may find it embarrassing to participate in a group with names such as “divorced families group”. Better names that encourage participation such as “changing families” can be used. Group members should develop group rules with the help of the social worker. Also, age appropriate activities for fifth graders such as art, writing anonymous letters with questions on divorce and coping skills activities such as using blank index cards to write the things that make them happy when they are sad should be implemented. Children experiencing divorce in their families are at an increased risk of emotional and behavioral problems (Abel et al., 2013). Some of the main goals of the groups is to give the children a sense of belonging in a setting that is not threatening, support them, and normalize the divorce encounter. Roth Family KidsKonnect Program and Kids Turn Workshops by Safe & Sound are some of the programs that can assist children in divorcing families.
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References
Abel, E. M., Chung-Canine, U., & Broussard, K. (2013). A quasi-experimental evaluation of a school-based intervention for children experiencing family disruption. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work , 10 (2), 136-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/15433714.2012.663666
Vassilopoulos, S. P., Brouzos, A., Damer, D. E., Mellou, A., & Mitropoulou, A. (2013). A Psychoeducational school-based group intervention for socially anxious children. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work , 38 (4), 307-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2013.819953
