Intellectual Property:  What you Can and Can't do
Use of Resources, Trademarks, Copyright 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
LICENSING CONDITIONS

IMPORTANT Message from Dr Cathy Betoin:  Founder and  Developer of the I Matter Training Journey:   The I Matter Training Journey was developed over a period of more than 15 years to help professionals and parents become better trained and equipped for the care of the anxious or challenging or vulnerable child.  The journey is very carefully structured based on years of clinical and teaching experience of what works best to help adults and young people - especially those in overwhelm - to start to work together well in challenging situations over the longer periods of time that are commonly needed to make a difference - putting the issues of relationship health at the centre.   

Whilst some aspects of I Matter look simple, in more challenging and stuck situations the details of the process become very important and require the support of highly trained and highly skilled practitioners.   The learning process is an ongoing one.   So though we want to get I Matter thinking out into everyday practice, we also want to assure a high quality level of understanding. 

Therefore it is very important that you do not overestimate or misrepresent your training status.  An I Matter Informed Approach can support improvements in practice only when done carefully and thoughtfully.   The ideas are powerful and very important but an I Matter Training Journey does not offer any quick fixes and should never be used in this manner.   So, when you complete I Matter Training at Everyday Awareness or Stage1 the core principle is that you must travel thoughtfully and carefully remembering that in the first instance, the resources are for your own personal use and personal development only.  You can use the principles learned in the first stages to think about yourself and your own family situation but you should not copy or distribute the resources or use them to train others.   

Instead encourage others to think about their own I Matter Journey.   if you are a Professional the resources can inform your thinking about your own role and your clients needs, but resources should only be used with clients or colleagues for the purposes of sharing the availability of I Matter Training with them. The key message is that you must focus first only on what small step changes YOU can make in the way you do things in your own role and setting.. in the first instance, this could simply be through changes in your own insight and attitudes and approach in your own immediate relationships and responsibilities.

These strict conditions are to protect the fidelity & quality of the I Matter Journey Experience.  Assessment Tools should not be used in any professional reports or decision making process unless supported by a Stage 2 Licensed Lead Plus Professional or Advanced Practitioner.  To use the tools in your professional role, or share I Matter actively with others or you will need Stage 1 Certifications and Stage 2 training.  You can apply to become a Stage 2 Trainee on completion of Stage 1 intermediate A training.

Parents and Carers and professionals are advised that the steps of the journey are there for a reason, and the quality of support obtained for an I Matter Journey is key to best outcomes.  Consequently, finding the right, appropriately informed support is a vital part of the process that should be taken very seriously.

The I Matter Framework was developed as an integrative theoretical approach because in 2021 the models of practice that are currently offered in child and family mental health practice with the anxious or challenging or vulnerable child, still miss out some very key details of what the research evidence is really saying.   The result has been some huge gaps in professional and parent understanding and gaps in good practice when it comes to the challenges found in implementation of care for vulnerable children. This is notably seen in an everyday lack of recognition of the vital importance of insight into stress and wellbeing states as seen in children and in adults, and gaps in understanding of child development, brain development and the adult role.    

Training in the i Matter Framework therefore  offers a carefully taught back to basics practical integration of this theory and research intended simply to make the research conclusions easier to understand - so as to support better team decision making and clearer oversight of complex care situations.   The practice of I Matter looks simple but can often be very challenging due to the deep personal journey that it can involve for parents and carers and for professionals, and due to the numbers of people that commonly are implicated.  So we believe in small careful steady steps.   Focus first on your own learning journey.  Explore deep so that you can find out where the gaps in your own understanding are.

A good I Matter Journey is generally full of lightbulb moments!  So be ready and take your time!  Remember that you can make a difference!

Awareness: Informed Practitioners or Parents - Informed Practice Award - resources for own use only with no copying permitted
Bridging: Trainee and Approved Link Professionals. Senior Link and Heads, Directors and Commissioners - focus on implementation implications.
Stage 1  Extended Journey Foundation/Intermediate/Advanced with certification options and  I Matter Mentor Award - Direct roles with children  
Stage 2 Trainee and Approved Lead, Lead Plus, Advanced Practitioners = Working with indirect roles: Parents and Professionals

If it comes to our attention that you are not respecting these Terms and Conditions, we will be obliged to take action.