Resilience in children and young people; why is it important?
Resilience is so important for children and young people. Resilient people are better able to handle adversity and rebuild their lives after a catastrophe. Resilient children are able to adapt and bounce back when things don’t go as planned. They don’t wallow or dwell on failures; they acknowledge the situation, learn from their mistakes, and then move forward.
Children and young people need resilience to manage ups and downs, both during and after difficult or challenging situations. Ups and downs can range from; everyday challenges like conflict with friends, falling off a bike, emotional experiences such as loss, rejection, disappointment or humiliation, or serious challenges like disability, learning difficulties, family separation, family illness or death, or bullying.
Resilient people develop great, positive attributes, including; maintain a positive image of the future and having solid goals and a desire to achieve those goals. Resilient people are empathetic and compassionate, however, they don’t waste time worrying what others think of them. They maintain healthy relationships, but don’t bow to peer pressure. Resilient people never think of themselves as victims – they focus their time and energy on changing the things that they have control over.
When children and young people develop resilience, over the longer term, they will have fewer mental health issues and greater life opportunities (including employment and relationships), and it is also associated with better academic performance and school behaviour.
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:
wishingwellorg.wordpress.com 