The Institute for Children, Youth & Mission

It is estimated that 1 in 3 children and young people are exposed to at least one potentially traumatic event by the time that they are 18. When we consider the added trauma of living through a pandemic that has swept through our world leaving no-one untouched, robbing our children of vital opportunities for connection and development it’s clear to see that trauma is present in our communities, in our schools and in our churches.

But in the midst of it all there is good news! While advances in neuroscience have given us a greater understanding of the effects that traumatic events can have – not just on our emotional, spiritual and mental health but also on our physical well-being - we have also discovered that the brain has an incredible ability to change, to rebuild and to heal. That damage caused through adverse experiences can be repaired through safe, positive relationships! That story of healing and restoration is the story of Jesus – and it’s a story that, as the church, we are invited to join in with.

 In this course, we will explore what is meant by the term ‘trauma’ as we unpack some core principles of what it means to bring a trauma sensitive approach to the way we work with children, young people and families. We’ll dig into some practical tools, strategies and approaches to help ensure we are creating spaces that are led safely and, very importantly, that feel safe for every child that we are journeying with and we’ll consider how we can effectively support families in our churches and communities with care experienced children.