Healing Trauma in Children

Healing Trauma in Children is about developing a carer's awareness, kindness, compassion, patience, strength and education. Foster and kinship carers play a vital role in our community. Their task is not an easy one. This book is not about medication, it's not about behaviour management plans, punishment, judgement or diagnosis; Healing Trauma in Children aims to help carers understand trauma and its impact on the vulnerable child they are caring for.

It is difficult to understand how much trauma some children have suffered. No-one can take away the traumatic experiences a child has lived through. What carers need to do is teach the child how to live with their memories and their symptoms – t is their story. Help them manage their future, so the past trauma doesn't take over and control their life.

Most children in care do not settle quickly and can become disruptive, affecting the entire family. Many carers are unprepared for the level of support and intensive focus and effort that these children need. Research tells us that children with traumatic and chaotic backgrounds have difficulty regulating their emotions. They lack the cortical capacity to efficiently process their thoughts and feelings, making it hard for them to change their behaviour to fit into their new life and typical parenting strategies may not work.

This book aims to help carers understand trauma and its impact on the vulnerable child they are caring for. A carer's role is not just parenting; it is about having the ability to teach children the skills to manage their reactions. As opposed to a text heavy on theory, this book is designed so that information can be accessed quickly when needed for specific situations that arise. Most importantly, it offers detailed solutions and strategies for day-to-day emergencies as well as more long-term solutions.

About the Author

Sonia Kennedy is an Australian clinical social worker with over twenty years of private and public clinical and training experience. She is an accredited mental health clinician and an approved counsellor with Victim Services NSW and has worked with adolescents, children and adults. Sonia has experience in a range of settings, including child protection, corrections, education, and veterans and family counselling.