Ayse Adil from Family Based Solutions on the charity’s recent Texas training mission

The Family Based Solutions team in Texas

Family Based Solutions (FBS) is a pioneering charity supporting families experiencing child-to-parent abuse and recovering from domestic abuse, delivering specialist training designed to equip professionals with practical, solution-focused strategies.

Founded by myself, Joe Lettieri and Karen Hunter, we emerged from the recognition that children who exhibit violent behaviour towards parents are often responding to trauma rather than simply being ‘badly behaved’. We have developed a strength-based, solution-focused approach that helps families break destructive cycles and rebuild relationships and our work has gained recognition across various sectors, including social work, education and policing, with professionals seeking our expertise in handling complex family dynamics.

Last year, Family Based Solutions was invited to present at the World Solution Focused Conference in Amsterdam, an international event bringing together experts in solution-focused practice. Our presentation highlighted how a small grassroots charity could deliver life-changing interventions, reinforcing the effectiveness of their approach on a global stage. The recognition we received at the conference further highlighted the urgent need for their work, leading to new opportunities.

We recently also made a significant impact across the Atlantic, bringing our invaluable training to professionals at Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas.

The training focused on solution-focused techniques to help professionals move away from problem-saturated narratives and towards empowering families. Attendees learned how to use strength-based conversations to identify small successes, build trust, and foster meaningful change. The approach is particularly effective for families where traditional interventions have failed, offering an alternative way to address conflict and promote resilience.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Participants described the training as “a gamechanger” and praised its immediate practical application in their work. Many professionals noted how refreshing it was to focus on strengths rather than deficits, and several committed to implementing these techniques in their daily practice.

Beyond our direct work with families, Family Based Solutions also runs FBS Chat, an online platform where we have interviewed therapists, community leaders and professionals from around the world. These conversations explore how solution-focused approaches can be applied in different settings, helping to spread awareness and inspire change. FBS Chat has also become an invaluable resource for those looking to learn more about innovative ways to support families and individuals facing challenges.

For us, delivering training internationally marks another milestone in our journey. Despite being a small Enfield charity with limited resources, our impact continues to grow, proving that our work is both relevant and needed on an international scale. By focusing on what families can achieve rather than what they have lost, FBS is changing lives – one solution-focused conversation at a time.

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