This book is a psychoanalytic discussion on the effects of trauma and torture on children, with a specific focus on how professionals can use an approach focused on resiliency rather than vulnerability to help the child reach well being.
The author argues that in a world where the torture, maltreatment and neglect of children shamefully persist, it is incumbent upon all of us to intervene appropriately to put a stop to it. Whether in conference rooms developing more comprehensive policy to hold perpetrators accountable or working in clinics where traumatized children and their families seek help, the question of how we act to improve the opportunity for recovery in children and young people subjected to such inhumane treatment should be our primary concern. This book discusses this salient issue, drawing on psychoanalytic perspectives of the effects of trauma on children, looking specifically at the case of refugee children and families. Understanding challenging behavior in traumatized children and the effects of refugee experience on families can help all concerned to offer more appropriate and effective support. Through the presentation of case studies, this study traces the complexity of individual refugee experience while demonstrating the impact of good practice underpinned by an intercultural, resilience-focused approach. In an effort to eradicate torture and maltreatment of children globally, the author points to the necessity of developing appropriate methods of intervention as a responsibility to the children and families we serve and our societies as a whole.