[United Kingdom] Healing Environments for Children who have Experienced Trauma

A summary has been published to answer the question: what are some of the elements of a healing environment for children who have experienced trauma?

This review pulls together evidence pertaining to chilren’s home design, health and architecture as potential components of a healing home. Case studies show that design, colour and appearance can help create and sustain a happy and nurturing environment, while architecture and interior design can have an impact on relationships and social interactions.

There are five themes to a healing environment:

• nature (green and blue colours, music)
• an enriching, supportive, and safe home environment
• need for physical and psychological safety
• personalising space
• collaborative design with the views of children and staff

Unfortunately, there is a lack of research into the subject, so the review only provides a framework and acts as a call for researchers to look into this area.

FURTHER READING

Related resources by SCIE

- Therapeutic approaches to social work in residential child care settings, Social Care Institute for Excellence (2012) www.sciesocialcareonline.org.uk
- Use Social Care Online to stay up-to-date and search for new research, policy and guidance related to trauma-informed practice

Other related reading

- Addressing adversity: prioritising adversity and trauma-informed care for children and young people in England, YoungMinds (2018)

- Developing And Leading Trauma-Informed Practice: Leaders' Briefing, Julie Wilkinson, Research in Practice (2018)

- On The Value And Meaning Of Trauma-Informed Practice: Honoring Safety, Complexity, And Relationship, Pamela Szczygiel (2018)

- Routine Enquiry About Adverse Childhood Experiences: Implementation Pack Pilot Evaluation (Final Report), Public Health Institute, John Moores University (2018)

- Trauma-Informed Approaches With Young People: Frontline Briefing, Danny Taggart, Research in Practice (2018)