Safe Places, Thriving Children. Embedding Trauma-Informed Practices into Alternative Care Settings

ended

Children and young people in alternative care are one of the most vulnerable groups to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). This project seeks to embed a trauma-informed care approach into child protection services so as to better support children and young people affected by ACEs, thereby increasing their chances to develop to their fullest potential. The main characteristics of trauma-informed care are: - Everybody who works in the organization providing alternative care is aware of the processes that affect children and young people who experienced trauma. - The organizational structure and care framework in place involve understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma. - Physical, psychological and emotional safety for both children and caregivers is ensured. - The care is set up in a way that helps children rebuild a sense of control and empower them to be active in their recovery process This project focuses on three lines of direct intervention: - The development and implementation of an e-learning programme aiming to reach around 1,000 professionals from the social, eduational, health and justice sectors to equip them to better understand and identify adverse childhood experiences and their impact on the development of children. - Face-to-face trainings aiming at equiping 400 to 500 child care profesionals in Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary and Serbia to implement a trauma informed approach in their work with children and young people in alternative care who are affected by ACEs, providing them with a safer environment and aiding their recovery. - Organisational development process aiming to engage around 18 selected programmes/organisations providing alternative care to embed trauma-informed care in their structures. In addition, the development and promotion of policy recommendations complements the programmatic interventions to seek the commitment of public authorities to sustain a trauma-informed care approach.