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Discovering the Road to Peace

Posted on January 12, 2024January 12, 2024 by Florence

While out on a walk, letting my mind drift, things started to connect in my brain. What is happening in the world at the moment, my professional knowledge and my personal experiences came together to form what seems like a coherent answer to an apparently unanswerable question. I have posted this on LinkedIn, and want to share it here as well, where it doesn’t get buried as quickly.

When it feels like the world is crumbling the question that comes up again and again is: what would it take to achieve real, lasting peace? It can seem like a theoretical question, a mental exercise, but, having given it some thought, I believe there is a real answer and solution. It is a simple one, but not an easy one: Achieving peace requires ensuring that everyone receives help to recognise and resolve their trauma, in combination with truly universal social protection and access to basic services (this addition because as will be mentioned severe and long-term poverty is a significant stressor that can lead to a trauma experience).

2023 Was Quite a Year

Posted on December 29, 2023December 28, 2023 by Florence

It was not apparent to everyone from the outside, but 2023 was very different for me. The first half of the year I was able to do some work, the accomplishments I listed in the blog about what happened in the fifth year of Family-Based Solutions, which you can find HERE. Because when I work, I tend to be highly productive, to many people that may have even looked at a fairly productive period for me. But it really was not.

What About the Careleavers We Don’t Hear from?

Posted on October 9, 2023October 8, 2023 by Florence

A while ago, I saw a post on damaged WWII aeroplanes. Somehow, that got connected for me to careleavers and how we need to do better for them. A strange connection, but one that increasingly makes a lot of sense. I’ll tell you why.

Training Programme on Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions

Posted on October 2, 2023October 2, 2023 by Florence

There is suddenly a flurry of blogs I’m putting out. That is because there are so many interesting new developments taking place that I am excited to share with you. In this case, the training programme that I have developed. Making sure that people involved in moving children from institutions to families really understand what to take into account during assessments and how to support families and children does not end with pushing a book into their hands. Most people – particularly those new to these topics – will need training and opportunities to ask questions, discuss issues, and connect the new information to their work experience to implement and integrate it into their daily work practice.

A Call for Collaboration on the Compendium Project

Posted on September 25, 2023September 23, 2023 by Florence

I have started an ambitious independent project. It aims to build on various resources and tools that are developed by different (I)NGOs and practitioners to provide concrete guidance on implementation for various parts of the process of transitioning alternative care from institutional to family-based. I intend to map the resources and tools – also those developed for specific countries – available, (and am able to read documents in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Dutch). The project will go beyond an overview of what is out there and where it can be found. It will include a full analysis of the strengths, weaknesses of, and gaps in and between the different resources and tools. The mapping will only be the first stage of the project. The second stage will be to develop a document – or given the eventual size, really more of a compendium – in which the strongest elements from all the resources will be brought together (properly referenced) and to create new material to fill the gaps identified.

The Fifth Year of Family-Based Solutions

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Florence

Amazing to already be marking half a decade of Family-Based Solutions. It continues to be astonishing how quickly time passes and how fast things keep developing. Five years ago, I certainly would not have thought to hope that I would be looking back on the kind of year I have had. With some things continuing and various new things appearing and new plans being formed.

Advocacy Material from Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions

Posted on July 27, 2023September 12, 2023 by Florence

‘Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions. A training manual for case workers’ is not only useful for people involved in moving children from institutions to families to increase their knowledge and awareness about the effects of institutionalisation and how they can support families to help children catch up. Because it gives detailed information about how care in institutions differs from care in families and in what ways this causes harm, it also provides important ‘ammunition’ for advocacy for alternative care reform towards family-based care and family strengthening.

Audio Version of the Training Manual for Case Workers

Posted on July 13, 2023September 12, 2023 by Florence

I am proud to announce the audio version of all 17 chapters of ‘Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions. A training manual for caseworkers’ are now all available to order for a small price at the web shop of this website. You can order the chapters individually, or all 17 together (in which case the price will be reduced to include taxes in the 1 euro fee per chapter and the Conclusion is added free of charge) HERE.

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Language Matters, But Is Not All

Posted on May 15, 2023September 12, 2023 by Florence

In recent years, quite a lot of effort has been put into making sure that terms used to refer to certain groups of people – particularly those who are part of marginalised or stigmatised minorities – are not offensive. This is obviously to be applauded. Language matters and hearing yourself referred to with a derogatory term is hurtful and undermines self-worth. Equally when people grow up hearing certain groups referred to with derogatory terms, this is more likely to create a feeling that these groups are in fact inferior in some sense and that it is okay to insult them. This can do a lot of long-term harm. However, the thinking seems to be that if we just change the term used, that will lead to improvement and this is short-sighted.

Introductory Video of the Model of Understanding Trauma

Posted on April 7, 2023September 12, 2023 by Florence

In the books ‘Understanding the Trauma of Institutionalised Children. To support the child you adopt’ and ‘Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions. A training manual for case workers’ I have given a pretty detailed overview of what is problematic about children growing up in institutions and how well-supported families can help children from institutions overcome the challenges that have developed.