Page 2191 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 4 August 2015
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the development of a therapeutic plan and there has been an increase in staff numbers who will undertake this very important task. “A step up for our kids” further emphasises this and the Out of Home Care Taskforce is working to ensure that all potential service providers develop their staff to be trauma informed in their work with children and young people in the future.
I have frequently referred to ‘trauma-informed’ service and when I say trauma-informed let me explain to the Assembly what I mean by that. Trauma-informed means that we respond to the needs of each individual child in a way that helps them feel more secure and safe at a physical, psychological and emotional level. Trauma may show itself in many ways. A child might respond to trauma by becoming aggressive but another child may respond by becoming withdrawn or frozen in dealings with people. We will work with the individual to ensure the response that they need is tailored for them and that they feel secure and safe.
An example of this might be a young person who has been exposed to extreme abuse and neglect in their life and may act out aggressively. A fight response is due to trauma. By responding to the issues that inform the behaviours, as opposed to focusing directly on the behaviours themselves, staff can support children in their support networks to respond to behaviours in a more therapeutic way. In instances like this the emphasis is on nurturing and support and not being punitive in relation to what is perceived at face value to be “bad behaviour”.
Although Melaleuca Place has been in operation for just over a year, it is emerging as a service that is valued by the children and their support networks. Internal feedback reviews indicate that service users are happy with the type and quality of service received and that the therapeutic approach implemented by staff is beginning to have an impact. Most significantly, Melaleuca Place has been able to effectively engage with all of the referred families, with none of the families dropping out. This has led to a 100 per cent engagement rate over the first 12 months of operation.
The therapeutic work looks at the trauma the child has experienced and how this has impacted on every aspect of their life. Working with children and their support networks has to be undertaken at a place that the child is comfortable with and ensures ongoing emotional investment in the plan. Regular reviews are undertaken and each child who attends the service is viewed as being unique in how they may respond to trauma.
To quote an African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. Melaleuca Place has developed a service model that focuses on children in their community. Therapists are mindful that there are many people and organisations involved with each child both from a natural support perspective, such as friends, parents, carers and extended family, and an organisational perspective, through the delivery of community, education and health services. Therapists therefore ensure that everyone is aware of the therapeutic plan and that the plan is acted upon in a consistent manner. This is one of the major benefits of having a dedicated service like Melaleuca Place, as it coordinates and implements a trauma-informed response to every aspect of the child’s life.
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