Wellington City Libraries Palm Tree Blossoming of Our Children - Kia Puawai Ngā Tamariki - 10th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect

Being Me : Building resilience in young people after abuse


Author

Nicki Wickham, Annalisa Jehne


Speaker


Nicki Wickham, Annalisa Jehne


Organisation

Child Protection Unit


"Being Me" is a group work programme designed by Social Workers from the Child Protection Unit and Child Protection Counselling Service at Sydney Children's Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

The group programme's focus is to promote resilience in young people (12 - 16 years old) who have experienced emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse by acknowledging their past abuse, then focusing on their strengths as a way to move beyond the abuse.

As therapists, we assist the young people to recognise their own qualities and abilities, and thereby to develop greater social skills, self esteem and healthy relationships. Our aim is that through this process the young people will reach a position which allows them to say I am "someone"," I am more than a person who has suffered trauma."

Over seven sessions "Being Me" incorporates different therapeutic practices as well as group outings which allow participants to implement the skills that they are developing in the programme.


Presentation

Paper


Biography

Nicki Wickham (BA/BSW(Hons) has over 20 years experience as a Social Worker. She has been in her current position as Group Work Coordinator at the Child Protection Unit at Sydney Children's Hospital for 2 1/2 years. During this time she has developed and implemented a group work programme for children and young people who have been sexually, physically or emotionally abused and for non-offending parents of children who have been sexually abused.

Annalisa Jehne (BA/BSW) is a senior social worker with 7 years experience in child protection. She has been in her current position as a Child Protection Counsellor with the PANOC Service (Physical Abuse and Neglect of Children) NSW Health for 5 years. Prior to that she worked for the NSW Department of Community Services (DOCS) as a statutory child protection worker. Annalisa works systemically with family members, foster carers and child protection agencies, with the aim of reducing the risk of harm to children. She is particularly interested in the concept of resilience as a way of working with children who have been abused.
 

Annalisa and Nicki co-wrote and facilitated "Being Me", a group focusing on building resilience in young people after abuse.