When Jemma was 6 years old, she moved in with a new family, as her parents could no longer care for her. Jemma liked living with her new family, but she couldn’t stay there long-term, and she went on to live with another four families throughout her childhood. Each of her new homes were in different towns and this meant that with each move, Jemma would need to go to different schools too. Jemma found changing schools the hardest part as it meant that she would be in classes with children that she didn’t know, and a change of teachers meant that her learning would also be different. Her new classmates would know that she was in care, and this made Jemma feel uncomfortable. When Jemma left a previous home, she always felt sad about leaving friends behind, especially as she found it difficult to make new friends and trust people. With the support of her social worker and carers, Jemma began to settle more. At home, they worked together closely, to create an emotionally safe environment where there was open communication, empathy and acceptance. Her carers noticed that with consistency, Jemma’s responses to them and other situations shifted – she was being more open and willing to connect, even participating in activities she had once avoided. Things continued to change for Jemma when she went to a new secondary school. The school staff were committed to ensuring Jemma’s success and together with her, her carers and social worker, put in place strategies to ensure that she would have an emotionally safe environment at school too. Teachers and other staff set consistent boundaries and practiced empathy towards pupils’ feedback and experiences. They provided time and space for all pupils to share feelings without judgement. This fostered a sense of trust for Jemma, allowing her to feel valued and respected. Having this type of support in place made a big difference to how Jemma progressed, both personally and academically. Through these relationships at home and at school, Jemma’s resilience grew. While her early experiences left lasting effects, the connections of support and understanding she received through a trauma-informed, relationship-based approach, helped her to better manage her thoughts and feelings, supporting her to reach her potential into young adulthood.
Self-care booklet