Testimonials
A selection of testimonials have been provided by a variety of parents carers and professionals over the years
Squiggles journey
Foster carer
I have been using Squiggles services for a while now with a child in my care. I've found Julies advice and the service she provides invaluable. I have learnt so much during the sessions and I am able to go away and put some of what we do in them into practice at home. With the information that Julie provides it enables me to have a greater knowledge of how to deal with the different challenging behaviour I come up against daily and why these behaviours might arise. Julies knowledge into how a child's brain functions and is formed is amazing and she puts everything in a way that its easy to understand. Julie is very approachable and will answer any of my questions or queries straight away. I have found Julie to be very helpful and she is the most patient person I've met.
I have seen a big difference in the child I care for since we've been using Squiggles and due to all the information I've been given I'm in no doubt that this improvement will continue once our time is up.
Social worker /Grandparent
I am a registered social worker and I have experience in working for the Public Sector and the Third Sector. I am currently employed in the Private Sector.
My professional knowledge of Julie Howes was established when I worked within Neath Port Talbot Councils Children Services. Her organisation known as Squiggles worked directly with Foster Carers and with children needing therapeutic interventions. Most of the children she worked with had complex needs and challenging behaviours. The outcomes I observed for these children were positive and Julie commanded a great deal of respect amongst my colleagues and other professionals for the work she undertook.
In 2008 I brought my grandchildren aged 2 and 6 into my care under a Residence Order. Their father was violent to their mother while they were present. Both parents were alcohol dependent and the home situation was volatile. In 2009 their father died. The children were dealing with the loss of their father and also grieving for the fact that they could not live with their mother. In 2010 the eldest grandchild continued to exhibit low self- esteem, had little confidence, and exhibited a high level of anxiety for their mother and brother. They were unable to understand their situation and found it hard to discuss their feelings. I commissioned Julie privately to work with my grandchild (by this time aged 9) .
Julie began a programme of Art therapy, to help them with their feeling of loss and understanding their world. Julie gave them the tools to help them cope with reality and to understand their own feelings. I am very pleased to report that even after 4 years my grandchild is now happier, is a confident and popular member of their peer group, and is able to discuss their father without crying. Their self- esteem is much higher and they have flourished. Julie maintained a professional relationship throughout and I was able to see how much she really cares for the children she works with.
I would not hesitate to commission Squiggles again.
Head Teacher
We invited input from Julie Howes at Squiggles a couple of weeks ago when we required some expert insight on attachment issues. Julie was accommodating and highly professional when it came to facilitating a visit, and absolutely first class when it came to delivering training to the whole of my staff. While the issues we looked at are extremely complex, Julie was able to explain things in a manner which was both accessible and deeply insightful. She was then able to field a range of questions which allowed my staff to deepen their understanding further, offering practical strategies that would support classroom practice. I would highly recommend Julie to anyone who has a desired to further their understanding of issues relating to child development theory and practice.’
Clinical supervisor
I have been Julie’s Howes Clinical Supervisor for her Play Therapy practice since 2007. In this time, I have had the opportunity to come to know and respect Julie’s work, Julie as a professional and Squiggles Therapeutic Services very well.
Julie offers a high quality therapeutic service of great integrity for troubled children and families to Local Authorities, CAMHS units, fostering agencies, schools, other agencies, and privately to families. She is a very competent, reliable, effective, experienced and qualified Play Therapist and Service Provider, also offering Theraplay and Dan Hughes techniques. Her therapeutic interventions are very successful in helping children and young people recover from the effects of past or current difficulties where their emotional health and development has been impaired by their experiences.
Julie brings many years of personal and professional experience to the Squiggles service, as a Social Worker, a Residential Social Worker, a Play Therapist and Service Manager, and as a parent. This experience has given her a comprehensive insight and understanding which helps her work knowledgeably and sympathetically with troubled children and young people, their parents or Carers, and the Social Workers, mental health professionals, teachers and other professionals that are part of the child’s life.
Julie Howes and Squiggles Therapeutic Services are an effective, professional and caring service to which professionals or families can safely refer their troubled children and young people for therapy.
Adoptive parents of twins
From our perspective as adoptive parents, your input at the placement planning stage was invaluable. At a time when we were surrounded by social workers and protocol, you provided practical advice and drove the planning forward for us and the boys. Placement planning is an exciting but alien process. Your down to earth approach made it so much easier for us.
Beyond placement, having access to your service has been a life changer for us. As new adoptive parents of twin eight year old boys, it was easy to get ground down and to lose sight of how early life neglect had influenced our boys’ behaviours. Being able to spend time with you put us back on track and relieved any fears we had that there were insurmountable issues.
I know that recent reports have emphasised the importance of post-adoption support for families, and we can’t agree strongly enough. Regardless of the preparation and planning, parenting children with early life neglect is tough. Families need easy access to services such as yours if they are to stand a chance of making it work.
Adoptive parents
Julie' services were initialised by NPT social services, she worked closely with R in an extremely tight time frame helping him understand the changes that were about to happen. This situation was complicated by her name, which is identical to one that R associates badly with. Julie swiftly understood this and changed her name to Jules in order to allow R to become more comfortable. In a short space of time R had a rapport with Julie and there was a development of trust, given more time this probably would have developed into a more meaningful relationship.
During the introductions Julie managed them perfectly, a difficult day for adopters, foster carers and more importantly R was made better by her calm and measured persona that kept everything informal and friendly yet informative and lasting. Whilst, to date, we have had no further need of Julie' services it is a grateful relief to know that she is always available at the end of the phone.
R is loving, tender and kind. Inquisitive and playful. Traits that Julie recognised and developed. It is no over estimation to state that this adoption has gone so well, that R adjusted so quickly and that the process has thus far been so smooth, due in no small part to the work that Julie put in with R. It is our recommendation that Julie' services be used when and where needed and that she receive all due plaudits and praise for her work with children.
Social work Manager
Julie provides the adults with the voice of the child. She enables the professionals to be child focused and ensures any plans are given the child's perspective. She empowers the child's carers by explaining this perspective which aids their understanding of where the child is at. Her work with the child is engaging and helps them to understand their situation, which in turn enriches their relationships with carers and ultimately helps with their confidence and self esteem. Julie has helped therapeutically support the child, carers, prospective adopters and social workers. She values communication, and feedback to the relevant people is an integral part of her service. She is a friendly, warm, affectionate and approachable person, whose qualities enhance her role as a play therapist. '
Local Authority Solicitor
“ In an extremely difficult case Julie Howes was able to identify and address complex issues that enabled a young girl to be re-united with her mother. If it was not for the work carried out by Julie Howes the one wish of this little girl would not have been achieved. Prepare to go on a very steep learning curve when you work with Julie.”
