Working therapeutically with children who have experienced trauma from physical or sexual abuse

This paper is aimed at practitioners who want to respond to disclosures of child sexual abuse in ways that challenge self-blame in safe and respectful ways. It provides strategies to help practitioners support a child who has disclosed sexual abuse, either while waiting for a referral to a specialist service, or while continuing to work with the child in a general or specialised capacity. It follows the Emerging Minds paper, 'Making use of practitioners’ skills to support a child who has been sexually abused'.

This resource focuses on how to look after your own wellbeing as a practitioner or worker when supporting children and families after a disaster.

This resource demonstrates the importance of encouraging play and creative expression to help children unpack, explore and process difficult experiences like disaster. Creative expression is encouraged as a way for children to communicate about complex emotions and feelings, especially when they might be difficult to articulate verbally

In addition to the support of extended family, friends and the learning community, responses from governments and specialist mental health services plus digital resources are important to the successful recovery of children and families after a disaster.

Re-establishing routines and setting boundaries and expectations are important for restoring children's sense of stability and safety after a disaster, especially when they have to spend time away from their parents or home.

This resource explains the importance of connection, emotional literacy and environment in helping children feel safe, and how regulation can be achieved through the body using sensory- and movement-based exercises, along with fun, relaxing and mindfulness activities.