For the Love Of a Child (FLOC) was founded in 2010 by Tom and Donna Jennings following the death of their five year old son. This tragedy was the catalyst for Tom and Donna to look at ways to support children and their families who have suffered with trauma, loss and their mental health and well being.
Dundee is known for being one of the most deprived and poverty stricken areas in Scotland with high generational unemployment, drug dependency, mental health issues and some of the highest suicidal rates in Britain, all of which significantly increase the risk for poor mental health in children and young people. We want to address the issue that 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
We use specifically designed programmes which is delivered by a dramatherapist. We go into schools and work with groups of children to support their trauma, loss and mental health and wellbeing. Dramatherapy is a form of psychological therapy in which all the performance arts are utilised within the therapeutic relationship; it uses role play, voice work, movement and storytelling to help children explore and solve personal and social problems.
The feedback from families and the teachers showed us that the group work was very effective with children becoming more confident in the classroom. One child fed back that "I feel more confident in myself and I have more friends now and it's ok to talk about how i'm feeling". There was a 60% improvement in anxiety and stress of the children who attended.
Case study
A young boy of 6 years old whose mother died when he was just four years old was taken into care and was part of one of our group sessions. (for the purpose of this case study we will call him James, his name has been changed to protect his identity).
James had suffered neglect as a child. According to his carer the mother died in her sleep (APNEA) and James had been left with her body for 4 days on his own until he was found and brought into foster care. He was found in squalor, his mother had been very obese and had been found in her own excrement due to not being able to get to the bathroom. James does not know who his father is and has never met him. Within the last 6 months James behaviour had become worse with anger and destructive behaviour, often breaking / throwing toys and his room. James presented as having a negative self-image and has feelings of worthlessness. He struggles with his relationship with food, as seen throughout the sessions due to neglect. He also struggles with physical boundaries and has difficulties in processing his emotions and shows chaotic and destructive behaviour.
During the group sessions James was very disconnected to his emotions, however as he became more relaxed especially around snack and story time he would make connections with the story, this was seen in one of the sessions after story time when he said “I’m Little No name , as I lost My mummy just like her''
This was a breakthrough for James, he had voiced very little in the group, and he was showing he was engaging emotionally about his loss through projection onto the Little No-name character, his awareness of the group was also improving as he was being able to communicate this to the dramatherapist and the group. he was also becoming more aware of when to say sorry to others. James was able to engage imaginatively and this helped him process safely some of his loss and neglect.
The ultimate aim of this project is to see a significant difference in the psychosocial wellbeing in children and young people. We hope to foster an environment where children can feel safe and free to explore some of the hardships they have faced in life. The project aims to improve children’s mental health, wellbeing and address the significant health inequalities which exist in Scotland as well as reduce the levels of exclusion faced by some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The children who participate in the programme will increase their resourcefulness and resilience, particularly when they’re faced with barriers or obstacles. We want to equip children with the tools and capacity to traverse some of the steepest climbs out of poverty and trauma.
We are a small charity, we really believe in the work that we are doing and the difference early intervention can have with the children we are working alongside. It will make a massive difference to us and will enable us to continue doing this work. Thank you for considering this project.