Reducing the impact of childhood trauma; what can we do?
Young children who have suffered through early childhood trauma often grow up to experience difficulties in later life. There is a distinct connection between experiencing early childhood trauma and developing physical and mental health problems as an adult.
When we experience something scary or traumatic, our body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. This is all important and necessary when facing real, mortal threats. However, if this happens over and over again, for example through experiencing fear in one’s own home every night, then the effects become health-damaging.
High-quality care and nurturing can work to change the structure of children’s brains and ensure that these damaging effects don’t take hold into their adulthood. Safe, stable and nurturing relationship are important, as well as timely, targeted, developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed interventions through different forms of therapy.
The Wishing Well provides a number of options for therapy so that children and young people can recover from the trauma, abuse and neglect they have suffered and have the opportunity for happy and productive lives. These include; art therapy, play therapy, massage therapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy, music therapy, Heal For Life camps, educational support, tutoring and remedial work, counselling and nutrition support and guidance.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
Understanding the effects of early childhood trauma; a short guide
Young people can experience early childhood trauma when they seek out love and comfort from their primary caregivers, and this is not available as a result of maltreatment. Maltreatment can refer to physical, emotional or sexual abuse, or emotional and physical neglect. When this happens, children experience chronic stress, which affects the development of the brain. Maltreatment also affects children’s attachment and can result in insecure or disorganised attachment.
Children whose needs are met by sensitive and available caregivers learn to trust and develop secure attachments. In contrast, children who experience abuse experience care-giving that is frightening. They seek proximity to the caregiver who is also a source of fear, inducing even more anxiety. Children who have been physically or emotionally neglected learn that their fears and needs are not tended to by their caregiver and they lack emotional attunement and regulation. They also tend to cry and remain distressed for longer periods of time than children who have not been neglected. Maltreated children might develop attachment patterns that are avoidant, ambivalent or disorganised. The child might shut down their feelings, or develop exaggerated and attention-seeking behaviours. Disorganised attachment behaviours take the form of controlling behaviours such as bossiness or compulsive care-giving, which can lead to sudden rage in stressful situations, and also swinging quickly between feelings of fear, aggression, rage, depression and helplessness.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
Is the child protection system failing New South Wales’ children?
A previously secret report by former senior public servant David Tune has been released, only released after the government surrendered to the demands of the upper house. The report looks into NSW’s ‘ineffective and and unsustainable’ child protection system and warns that it is “crisis-driven”, fails the most vulnerable families and does not stop entrenched neglect. It also says the troubled system does not improve the long-term outcomes for children, especially Aboriginal children. The government repeatedly refused to release Mr Tune’s report, claiming it was cabinet in confidence.
The number of children in out-of-home care (OOHC) has doubled in 10 years, there has been a steady growth in the number of children entering OOHC care since 2013, and children are staying there longer. Also, nothing has been done to “arrest the devastating cycles of intergenerational abuse and neglect”.
Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward said the government was implementing the recommendations in the Tune report and there had been a “record level of investment” in the system, and for the first time in a decade the number of children entering care in NSW has fallen.
However, Labor’s spokeswoman for family and community services, Tanya Mihailuk, said Ms Goward should be stood aside over her refusal to release a taxpayer-funded report.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
Dispelling the myths surrounding foster care; a short guide
If you have been considering foster care, you may come across some unfortunate myths surrounding the industry that could put you off the process. There is an urgent shortage of foster carers in Australia right now, and these misconceptions may be contributing to the problem. Here, we outline a few of the myths and give you the facts.
1] “I’m too old to be a foster carer.” You can be a foster carer as long as you are over the age of 21, healthy and capable of looking after a child.
2] “I can’t foster because I’ve never had kids.” This does not stop you from fostering a child. You might be younger, and choose to foster in the short term before you’re ready to start your own family.
3] “I can’t foster because I’m in a same-sex relationship.” This one is simply not true. Families suitable for adoption or foster care are people who can be focused on the child’s needs, people who are empathetic, and are able to provide security. What’s important is the quality of the care, not the relationship status of the carer. Same-sex couples are able to be foster parents, and single people can also be carers.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
How to prepare your own children to meet a foster child; a short guide
Bringing a foster child into your home can be a stressful time, especially if you have children yourself and you are unsure of how to introduce them to each other. Luckily, there are a few things you can do with your child to prepare them for meeting their foster sibling.
Firstly, it is important to teach your children that foster children might need some space at first, to settle into the new home and get used to you and their surroundings. They may also be upset and confused about their situations so ensure your children are able to give them the space they need and hold off on asking lots of questions until the foster child feels more comfortable.
Another concern may be the behaviour of foster children. Some foster children act out physically as a result of trauma they have been through. Teach your children to say ‘no’ and step away from uncomfortable situations. You can also always maintain supervision between children until each child feels more comfortable with each other.
Finally, ensure your own children know they will not be forgotten with the addition of a foster child in our family. Let them know they can always speak to you if they are worried or have any concerns, and that you will always be there to listen.
The Wishing Well foundation
The Wishing Well was established in 2010 to offer children in out-of-home care, such as foster care and residential care, a range of healing and treatment options usually not accessible as a free therapy in mainstream health.
The Wishing Well raises funds to enable children and young people to access developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments shown to be highly effective in dealing with severe trauma and neglect. These therapies respond to the unique needs of each child and young person.
The Wishing Well is a not-for-profit incorporated charity organisation, established and managed by people seeking to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care and their families. The Wishing Well recognises the importance of the act of giving. We recognise the significance of the participation of community members and all donations are most appreciated.
The Wishing Well operates ethically, effectively and empathically with a view to achieving quality outcomes and a satisfying working environment.
Support the Wishing Well
The Wishing Well uses its funds to help children in need access all manners of developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed treatments. The Wishing Well takes referrals for any child/young person in out-of-home care in NSW. Applications are assessed by qualified personnel and on a case-by-case basis. The decision to fund an application is affected by the following:
- Funding availability
- The support the child/young person has to access the proposed therapies
- The capacity and willingness of the Carer Household to support the child/young person
- Assessment, which recommends and supports the proposed therapy as relevant to meeting the particular needs of the child/young person
The Wishing Well gratefully receives donations, funding and resources through bequests, corporate partnerships, fundraising events, grants, online donations and other fund raising activities. Money donated to The Wishing Well enables traumatised children access to healing therapies. Please see our website for more information:
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