The Scared Gang
March
For enquiries about The Scared Gang please contact:
The Scared Gang books are written by Éadaoin Bhreathnach and illustrated by Sighle Bhreathnach-Cashell. This series helps children to recognise their own survival patterns through the Scared Gang characters. Each character represents a different pattern and tells children how they can self regulate through the use of food and sensory-based activities.
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The Scared Gang Have To Stay At Home
This story is for young children to inform them about Covid-19 and how to stay safe, healthy and happy. It is to reassure children that if they follow the guidelines they can remain safe and do not need to be scared.
Background History
The Scared Gang series was first written in 2006 for children who have suffered trauma and abuse. Secure children can express fear in the expectation that the caring adult will rescue, protect and comfort them. Insecure children are afraid to express their fear in case it places them in more danger. They need reassurance that they can safely express their fears.
The Scared Gang and Self –Regulation
The Scared Gang represents our survival behaviours. The purpose of these books is to normalise the feeling of fear. It is something that we all experience. Fear is a natural state that is designed to physiologically activate a protective response in us in the face of danger. Survival behaviours are adaptive responses. They are there to ensure we survive. Fear however becomes a problem if we can’t acknowledge it, or can’t take the necessary steps to regain control. The Scared Gang books show children how to self-regulate when they experience states of: hyper-vigilance, fear, flight, fight, freeze, dissociation or shutdown.
Children reading the books have expressed that they take comfort in the knowledge that they are not alone. Many children have said "I thought I was the only one who felt like this, but I can’t be because somebody has written about it."
The books empower children, as they realise they are already seeking out some of the activities the Scared Gang do. They help children and their Carers to become consciously aware of the different states and how the choice of food and sensory motor activities can shift these states. Children also learn to interpret survival behaviours of others through the stories e.g. when Fired-Up Freda is angry it means she is frightened. Children have gone on to write their own Scared Gang Story about themselves so that caring adults can understand them better.
Éadaoin Bhreathnach
Author
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The Scared Gang Have to Stay at Home
Free resource for children who are staying at home because of Covid-19. Click the box below to download the PDF.
The Scared Gang
Box set of 9 books. Each book is an introduction to each Scared Gang character, their survivial patterns and ways they can self-regulate.
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price includes p&p
3rd Edition available from the 2nd July 2020!
You can pre-purchase here or by emailing sai.aldertreepress.com
The Scared Gang Are Asked To Tell
'How to Enable Narrative Expression and Affect Regulation'
NEW
About:
How do you begin the process of narrative work when talking is highly activating? This resource pack for professionals provides a step-by-step guide to preparing children for narrative work and emotional regulation.
The Scared Gang are invited to explore what helps them regulate. They discover they each have an instinctive drive to seek what they need. The whole process is about having fun, whilst gaining insight into their instinctive behaviours. They learn about the use of tools that will enable them to begin the narrative process culminating in each of them writing their own scared gang story book.
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This resource pack includes:
Facilitator Guide Book:
How to Enable Narrative Work and Emotional Regulation
Scared Gang Stories:
The Waiting Room
The Play Room
Little Tools to Help Stay Calm
The Last Visit
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and an A4 plastic folder
price includes p&p
The Scared Gang
Poster
An A1 full colour laminated poster, introducing the characters and their survival patterns.
plus £8 p&p to UK/EU. Postage remains the same for orders of up to 10 posters.
The Scared Gang Playing Cards
A set of 9 pairs of picture playing cards and box featuring the Scared Gang Characters at play. Suitable for "Memory" and other matching games.
price includes p&p
The Scared Gang
Go to the Seaside
SOLD OUT
A single story featuring all 9 Scared Gang characters on a day out. The story illustrates the regulating properties of food and play.
