Mental Health Awareness Week: The role of a trauma-informed children’s charity

As Mental Health Awareness Week begins (15 May – 21 May 2023), it is important to recognise the impact of trauma on children's mental health.

Trauma can have a profound effect on children, leading to difficulties with emotional regulation, behaviour, and relationships. As a trauma-informed children's mental health charity, we believe it is important to recognise the complex needs of children who have experienced trauma and provide them with the support they need to heal.

Trauma can take many forms, including physical or sexual abuse, neglect, exposure to violence or natural disasters, and separation from caregivers. When children experience trauma, their brains may become wired for survival, making it difficult for them to regulate their emotions and behaviours.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety. Anxiety is a normal emotion for everyone to feel at some point in life, but sometimes it can get out of control and manifest as a mental health problem.

At Kids Inspire, we work with young people who have experienced trauma, and as a result are struggling with anxiety, depression, anger, and other intense emotions that are interfering with their daily lives.

We provide them with a safe and supportive environment where they can heal as we believe that it is important to address the root causes of trauma and help children to build resilience, coping skills, and a sense of empowerment over their lives. We use evidence-based treatments such as trauma-focused creative art therapies and play therapy to help children process their experiences and learn healthy ways to cope with their emotions.

Working with the family
We also believe that it is important to support caregivers and other adults in children's lives to understand the impact of trauma and how to respond to children's needs. By providing education and resources to parents, teachers, and other caregivers, we can help create a supportive network around children and improve their outcomes.

As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage everyone to learn more about the impact of trauma on children's mental health and to support organisations like ours that work to provide trauma-informed care to children in need. Together, we can create a more compassionate and resilient world for children and families affected by trauma.