Supporting Children and Young People Through Loss and Trauma: Hands-On Strategies to Improve Mental Health and Wellbeing

Loss and trauma impacts families, communities and children and young people. This includes ＂collective trauma＂ experienced within situations such as a global pandemic, economic poverty, displacement, war, natural hazards or political turmoil. As a result, various common characteristics may be exhibited by children in school settings.

This practical book provides strategies and interventions to support the effects of loss and trauma in children and young people. It offers easy-to-understand research and theory to develop knowledge and skills, alongside hands-on strategies to support emotional responses, with practical examples of ＂what to do if....＂ Chapters consider why and how these emotions occur, recognising each child’s life experiences, and focus on identifying suitable approaches. The intention is to validate feelings and help each child find a way to navigate the variety of emotions experienced, using the simple ＂5S-Scaffold＂ model: SUBSIDE-SOOTHE-SUPPORT-STRENGTHEN-SELF-CARE.

With a wealth of information and additional downloadable resources, Supporting Young People Through Loss and Trauma is essential reading for teachers, senior leaders, mental health or behaviour leads and SENDCos.

Juliet Taylor is an affiliate tutor and coordinator on the Postgraduate Diploma course in Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties, provided by Oxford Brookes University in partnership with SEBDA. Her writing, presenting, training and support for school staff centres around pupil’s positive wellbeing, mental health and trauma-informed, attachment-aware practice.

She was a longstanding KS 3-5 teacher and key worker at a specialist school where SEND pupils, with a medical condition and SEMH diagnosis, are supported and educated utilising a graduated approach to offer a personalised curriculum and bespoke pathway.