Stressful events such as violence, war, or natural disasters, as well as humiliation and social injustice, can traumatize children and young people. Terre des Hommes provides trauma work for children and young people and helps them find their way back into life.
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Children have the right to mental health
Care events such as violence, war or natural disasters, but also degradation and social injustices can traumatize children and adolescents. Traumatic events can be unique, short or long -lasting or repeating events. Chronic stress, loss and family violence can also massively strain mental health and, if they are not processed, can continue as internal injuries. Whole societies can also have traumatic experiences, for example when colonialism has destroyed social structures and created inequalities that influence people's lives over generations.
Refugee children and adolescents are often witnesses of massive violence very early on or experience them firsthand. They have experiences with threats, persecution, exclusion, war and the death of family members. Many experience prisoners, ill -treatment and torture in the country of origin as well as during escape. In the country of arrival, too, they often see everyday racism and structural discrimination and exposed if their rights are denied in the field of education, in the asylum procedure or in health care.
Children and adolescents do not always experience violence and stressful situations directly, but often also indirectly, for example through testimony. Even if they are not immediately present, children often perceive what is happening, since they usually also notice the smallest changes in their caregivers.
How does trauma arise?
In situations in which survival is real or in danger, the human body and the soul reacts with a strong alarm state. Existential threat situations can trigger helplessness and/or fear of death and shake self-understanding. The body moves into the attack (Fight) or Escape (Flight) mode to escape the danger. A solidification (freeze) is also a possible reaction. Children and adolescents who have had potentially traumatic events are survivors. They bring competencies and experiences with them. Not every person who has experienced a traumatic event as a result is a psychological suffering. A stable social environment, safe ties, a protective family, your own resilience (resilience) and external support can be protective.
But the events experienced can also continue to work and burn themselves into the psyche. A permanent, physical and mental alarm state overwhelms people. If the memory of what has been experienced does not let go, we speak of stress and trauma disorders. These can manifest themselves in a broad spectrum of mental suffering and significantly impair everyday life, such as in the form of anxiety disorders, depression or addictive behavior. They differ according to the type and severity, frequency and duration of the stress and the individual processing options. The most well -known trauma folding is the post -traumatic stress disorder (PTBS), which, according to the World Health Society (WHO), only develops a minority of those affected. A younger age can increase the risk of developing a PTSD after a traumatic experience.
Trauma work and trauma support – What does Terre des Hommes do
Terre des Hommes works with children and young people through trauma work and psychosocial support (MHPSS), helping them to move from survival mode—saving themselves and others—to a calmer state of recovery and regeneration.
The younger the person and the less pronounced their coping mechanisms, the sooner they can develop possible, stressful follow -up reactions. Small children in particular can wrongly assume that they are to blame for what they have experienced. Common symptoms are sleep problems, nightmares and special fear, shyness or nervousness. Older children and adolescents can show learning problems, difficulties of concentration or refusal to school and aggressive behavior. Some young people keep their feelings to themselves and pretend that everything is fine that can lead to depressive conditions. Parents and familiar caregivers who suffer from stress themselves are sometimes unable to respond adequately to the needs of the children and also need support.
As Terre des Hommes we work with our partners to create safe spaces for children and young people where they can be children in a protected environment. In our joint projects, we work worldwide with various approaches and methods of psychosocial care (MHPSS). We offer children stability, create connections, and a sense of security. We also strengthen the family and social environment, with positive effects on the children's health. We provide psychosocial care in humanitarian aid or during evacuations from war zones. We facilitate needs-based therapeutic services, art therapy, group work, and child-friendly grief counseling, especially where these services are lacking. Together with our partners, we also consider social conditions in order to advocate for their right to mental health alongside children and young people worldwide.
Your contact person
Anna Weber
Speaker Germany and European Program