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Walk and Talk with Sweetie the Retriever
Private session with Sumayya & Sweetie the Retriever
Aimed at children & young people. Arrange to meet with our Social Worker, Sumayya and have a walk in the fresh air whilst being able to discuss any worries you may have. We know that many people are experiencing sadness, confusion and a whole heap of other feelings due to events like bereavement, a parental separation, bullying, abuse or other traumatic events. Sumayya is trauma informed and she and Sweetie the Retriever make great listeners. We believe that the outdoors is good for us and having Sweetie present can help put people at ease. Due to this being in person, we can only offer this to people able to meet in Rishworth, West Yorkshire.
How it works
We are based in the beautiful village of Rishworth in West Yorkshire, with plenty of countryside around us. You can book a day and time that suits you online, and then meet us in Rishworth. There are some cafes nearby if parents/carers wish to remain close. If parents/ carers wish to stay for the session, that's fine too. We will go for a walk locally and we can talk about anything that the child or young person wishes to discuss. It can take time for children and young people to feel able to open up, and it may take a few sessions, but this is perfectly normal. We want to ensure that your child or young person feels safe and comfortable with us, and we find that a way of doing this is by going on a walk. Often a room in a clinic can feel intimidating and it can make people feel pressured and on the spot. By going for a walk with our Social Worker Sumayya, the child or young person does not have to look at anyone, they can look at the countryside, and of course Sweetie the Retriever will be with them. We can leave Sweetie at home, if you'd rather not have her with us, she wont mind, I promise.
Walk and Talk Sessions – Why They Can Work
Sumayya, our Social Worker says-
Have you ever had an appointment with a social worker, a councillor or similar in an office? Often these offices are very clinical looking and not very relaxing. You’re sat opposite each other and it can feel quite pressurising that you have to talk, but you might not feel ready to. It can be stressful and feel like an unnatural setting.
As a Social Worker, I’ve met children and young people in these situations when I’ve worked for social services. I’ve also gone out for walks with people too, and it’s the walks where I’ve felt that the person has been put at ease the most. There’s something about not having to look at each other that makes it much less pressurising. When you’re both walking, you are looking ahead and you’re not expected to look at the other person. You can focus on the walk, on the fresh air and on the scenery. We’ve also got the option of having Sweetie the Retriever join us on our walk, and this can help us to get talking as Sweetie always gives us plenty to talk about!
I’ve found that going for a walk with me, can help children and young people feel safe to open up about their worries. They are not trapped or confined to an office. Sweetie the Retriever also makes a great listener and she’s very friendly. If you’d rather not walk with Sweetie, she doesn’t have to come, don’t worry about that. We’re just two people going for a walk and although I do carry identification to verify who I am, I don’t wear it around my neck publicly for all to see.
Confidentiality is taken seriously, and I need to highlight that I will try to go to quiet areas for our walks, but I cannot guarantee that nobody else will be around. In the event of someone else being around, we will move away.
I have duties under safeguarding legislation and in a situation where something is shared with me that suggests someone is at risk of harm, then I must take appropriate action to safeguard them. I take the welfare of those I support very seriously, and in the event that I need to speak to anyone else about what has been shared with me, I will discuss this with you first, unless I think it will increase the risk.
If after some walks, we decide that we’d prefer to meet in a venue rather than go for a walk, then we can do that.