CaraCare presents at International Childhood Trauma Conference

Mary Jo McVeigh, Emmanuel Kassiotis and Amanda Boyd represented CaraCare at the 3rdBiennial International Childhood Trauma Conference in Melbourne July-August 2018.  The theme of the conference was trust, love and betrayal - therapeutic interventions that work in the face of relational and complex trauma.

Mary Jo, Amanda and Emmanuel presented on the CaraCare writing and gardening groups. These groups provided a safe and creative space for children who had experienced abuse to express themselves, find their voice and connect with each other and the land. An amazing magazine, CaraKids – For Kids by Kids, and beautiful gardens were produced by the participants.

The importance of children’s rights and participation, sense of agency and choice was discussed in the conference presentations and ended on the message; it is time that children are regarded as experts in their own ‘subjective’ experience.