Look after yourself. Caring for maltreated children can be exhausting. You cannot provide the consistent, predictable, enriching and nurturing care these children need if you are exhausted. It is important to have support from volunteers or aides.
Creative interventions with traumatised children by Cathy A. Malchiodi and Bruce D. Perry (available via the internet) offers suggestions for working with traumatised children who have experienced death, violence, bush-fires, terrorism and floods.
The section on the impact of trauma on brain development and guidelines for working with children were largely adapted from, Dr Bruce Perry’s articles as referenced, Laurel Downey’s “Calmer classrooms. A guide to working with traumatised children” commissioned and published by Child Safety Commissioner, Melbourne, Victoria (2007), and “Early Years Study 2: Putting Science into Action” by Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain, Dr J. Fraser Mustard and Dr Stuart Shanker, all of which can be found on the internet. For further reading also see the recent publications made available by the Child Protection Clearing House.
KidsMatter
In 2009, the Australian Federal Government gave $6.5 million to KidsMatter to disseminate programmes to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children, in early childhood centres and primary schools. They aim to provide support for those experiencing these difficulties. Each initiative involves parents, carers, families, child care professionals, teachers and community groups. The core content consists of:
1 creating a sense of community
2 developing children’s social and emotional skills
3 working with parents and carers
4 helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties
The programme was developed in collaboration with the Department of Health and Ageing, BeyondBlue (the national depression initiative), the Australian Psychological Society, and Early Childhood Australia. See the KidsMatter website for further information. www kidsmatter edu au/
The Smart Programme
In creating the Smart training programme for educators and carers working with traumatised children, the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) (2007) realised that, if left unrecognised and untreated, abuse-related trauma is cumulative in its impact. The programme operated from the belief that, while all intervention has the potential to assist recovery, the outcomes depend significantly on the confidence and competence of health, welfare, education and legal professionals to:
take account of developmental considerations when intervening with victims
consider the cultural background and/or special needs of children and young people in planning and implementing programmes
embed their practice in an appreciation of current research findings about the psycho-biological effects of trauma for children and young people
use ethical decision-making that promotes the restructuring of abusive family relationships to focus on the emerging needs of children and young people
The programme confirms the central role that educators and school counsellors play in providing support and resources for children at risk of or have experienced child abuse. The ACF created a practice framework for working with traumatised children.
Pre-notification checklist for professionals working with neglected children
Observations of neglect including inadequate nutrition, hygiene, supervision, clothing and/or frequent failure to coIlect from school or centre:
Have the issues been raised with the primary carer? What was the response?
Has the carer been informed of local services that might help? What was the response?
Has the parent utilised recommended services? What was the effect on the child/family?
Have you used all available, appropriate support in your centre, school or regional office to assist in responding to your concerns?
Have you discussed more reliable alternatives e.g. emergency contacts on the enrolment form or Family Day Care for parents who fail to collect a child?
Persistent non-attendance of children over school age
Has a referral been made for an attendance counsellor, and has that person recorded actions taken?
Children under the guardianship of the Minister
Has the case-worker been informed of concerns? Have records been kept of the number and content of reports made? Has the school counsellor been consulted?
Children with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity
Has the advice of Aboriginal support staff or other relevant services been sought/obtained for supporting the child or family?
Children with disabilities
Has disability support or other relevant professionals been asked for advice?
Children and young people with “at risk” behaviour Have you or your staff:
communicated concerns to parents/carers? What was their response?
concluded that the parents are not protective?
linked the young person to appropriate Kids Helpline, youth health, mental health, welfare or juvenile justice services?
used regional support services or referred to an interagency team?
Have you identified other professionals working with the family and have you documented all your actions, the responses and shared the information with them?
Notification checklist for reporting suspicions or evidence of child abuse and neglect
Each state has its own legislation for reporting. The information that is universally helpful to child protection services is as follows:
Identification details
Full name and address of the child and details of parents if available
Child’s age or date of birth if available
Year level or class in school
Name and whereabouts of school or centre
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island identification or details of non-English speaking background
Disabilities
Current whereabouts of the child or young person
Name, approximate age and address (if known) of the alleged perpetrator and the relationship to the child, if any.
Please note that while interfamilial abuse is usuaIly dealt with by state child protection services, child sex offences by non-family members must be reported to police child sex offender/paedophile units.
Your details
Your name, whereabouts and role or relationship to the named child
Details of the school/centre and phone number
What contact you have with the family
Details of concern
What the child did or the child (or others) said to arouse suspicions
What you saw or heard that caused concern e.g.