Childrens Charity Volunteer Work

Carefree Kids is a fairly smallish children's charity that has been having a profoundly positive effect on troubled children's lives. Ideally of course, you expect children to grow, to learn and to mature and to develop emotionally. You hope that they get to experience new situations and learn something from them. Sometimes though a child, a teenager or even an adult can acquire unconscious behavoural drives that get in the way of them enjoying a happy life.

Emotional well-being is being recognised more and more as a vital part of healthy human functioning. If emotional short-comings aren't resolved early in life they may lead to bad lifestyle decision-making later on in life. Some young adults turn to drugs, alcohol or other substances as a means of coping with unresolved emotions from their formative years.

Some children may experience bullying, teasing, abandonment and little positive encouragement at home or by their peers. this can be due to many reasons including the environment they live in, parents who are unable to cope or provide what a child needs because of illness, death or financial limitations.

It is also possible for a child to experience emotional problems even in a good environment and have the support of loving parents.

All children process events and experiences differently. An event for one child might feel traumatic for another child will make no impact at all. It is accepting that children of any age and background and however supportive their family environment is, may need help with their emotions.

Using language to ask a child who has behavour or adjustment issues, what they are going through will not necessarily yield the answers. Language is a filter that a child has to try to use to explain how they feel. They may not know how to put into words what they are going through and so another way needs to be used.

Therapeutic play, allows a child to "act out" what is going on for them emotionally. Often a child will do this quite naturally and without any prompting. Acting out a troubling thought or feeling is a way of releasing that problem. Under the supervision of a trained volunteer who knows how to provide non-directive play therapy sessions, a child is able to begin to let go of the emotions/perceptions/thoughts/feelings that are at the cause of their behavour.

Carefree Kids trains volunteers to become therapeutic play practitioners that go to local London and help children who have shown a need for this therapy

Local authorities should ensure primary schools provide an emotionally secure environment that prevents bullying and provides help and support for children (and their families) who may have problems.

These are the bullit points as a guide for teachers and governors of primary schools :-

1) Local authorities should ensure primary schools provide an emotionally secure environment that prevents bullying and provides help and support for children (and their families) who may have problems.

2) Schools should have a programme to help develop all children's emotional and social wellbeing. It should be integrated it into all aspects of the curriculum and staff should be trained to deliver it effectively.

3) Schools should also plan activities to help children develop social and emotional skills and wellbeing, and to help parents develop their parenting skills.

4) Schools and local authorities should make sure teachers and other staff are trained to identify when children at school show signs of anxiety or social and emotional problems. They should be able to discuss the problems with parents and carers and develop a plan to deal with them, involving specialists where needed. Those at higher risk of these problems include looked after children, those in families where there is instability or conflict and those who have had a bereavement.

Carefree Kids is a local charity started by a concerned local citizen who recognised a need that wasn't being fulfilled in her own community.

You can do the same in your community. If you know there is a need, or lack of some facility in your local community, I hope you will be inspired by Carefree Kids.

You really can make a difference.