Sibling group leaders
Whether you are setting up a sibling group for the first time or have been running groups for many years, this section will give you guidelines and activities to help you run your group
Why run a sibling group?
These are the benefits to siblings of attending a sibling group:
- Improved wellbeing
- Improved relationships with their disabled brothers and sisters
- Improved behaviour at home and school
- Increased communication between parents and siblings about worries and about disability
- Improved concentration and performance at school
- Using skills to help themselves and other siblings at difficult times
- Increased attendance at mainstream youth groups
- Being able to speak up about bullying
- Increased understanding about disability
- Increased social time with peer group
- Having a voice about sibling issues locally and nationally
Peter Burke, in Siblings of Disabled Children, 2004, asserts that "It is evident that attending a siblings group is of benefit to the siblings involved because siblings are, perhaps for the first time, in a group where they are not different from others ...siblings gain a voice by attending a group, which enables them to be honest about themselves, to express their fears, anxieties and wishes for the future with other young people who understand."
Listen to siblings talking about their group in this Women's Hour
item http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2006_04_wed_04.shtml