Contact
Quality4Children
z.Hd. Mag. Elisabeth Ullmann-Gheri
Wolkensteingasse 2
A-6020 Innsbruck
Email: office@quality4children.org
Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the global burden of disease in this age group. Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 years old. The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults (WHO, 2025).
For vulnerable children and young people, the risk of mental health challenges is even greater. For example, children living in alternative care are up to 4 times more likely to face mental health conditions than their peers living in private households (Ford et al., 2007; Schröder et al., 2016).
Research also shows that 75% of children in alternative care have been through traumatic experiences prior to alternative care placement, and 50% experienced violence on a daily basis in their families of origin (Jaritz et al., 2008; Schmid et al., 2009). 62% of children had entered alternative care as a result of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation or any combination of these (Mc Auley & Davis, 2009).
Therefore, children and young people need the adults around them to have the understanding, knowledge and skills regarding their psychosocial and mental health, in order to build trust and strong caring relationships, and to help them overcome these adverse experiences in a healthy and adaptive manner. In addition, they need adults with the required competence to support them in building their own resilience and healthy coping skills to better prevent the risk of mental health conditions and dysfunctional coping strategies such as self-harm or substance abuse.
Therefore, one key principle of trauma-informed practices is building the capacity of practitioners in understanding the impact of ACEs and trauma on children and young people they live and work with, as well as their competence to provide them with the required support.
RCYC Practice and Trauma-informed Care
In the context of relational child and youth care, Howard Bath suggests that all of our work with children and young people who experienced trauma should focus on three elements: (1) Safety, (2) Connections, and (3) Managing emotion (Bath, 2008).
Children and young people who went through trauma need to experience relational safety. In the context of relational safety, the young person experiences connectedness and a secure holding environment, in which to experiment with new strategies for managing emotional responses. Following the child and youth care approach rooted in the 25 characteristics of Relational CYC Practice (Garfat & Fulcher, 2012) creates the environment to address the three pillars of trauma-informed care as identified by Bath (2008).
Training Programmes on Trauma and Trauma-informed Care
The L&D approach for CYC practitioners is based in the paradigm of Relational Practice and is therefore per se “trauma-informed”: understanding the effects of trauma on a child’s behavior and development, how everyday activities and actions of caregivers can create experiences of relational safety with children and young people, and continuously working towards relational safety – all support the three pillars of trauma-informed care. Relational Practice can therefore be seen as the foundation, the nurturing environment, in which focused interventions might still be required.
Therefore, we offer specialized training programmes on trauma-informed care and on dealing with trauma:
- 5-days Trauma-informed Care Training: This workshop equips practitioners with the knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to the effects of trauma in individuals. The approach emphasizes safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. The training helps participants to understand the impact of trauma on behavior and overall health, and encourages practices that avoid re-traumatization, promote healing, and foster supportive environments. Ultimately, trauma-informed care leads to more compassionate, effective, and respectful interactions in healthcare, education, social services, and beyond.
- Practical Trauma Support: This 9-hours virtual workshop provides practitioners with the foundational knowledge and practical guidance to provide trauma support services to both individuals and groups who experienced recent, single traumatic events. Psychological trauma can emerge from any experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, potentially leaving lasting scars on their psyche; it can reshape the landscape of the person’s mind, emotions, and life. Understanding the different types of trauma can help identifying appropriate intervention and support. With the right support, survivors can reclaim their sense of self, rebuild their lives, and find meaning in their experiences.
Mental Health interventions for children, young people, and their caregivers
Training programmes for experts like counsellors, social workers, and therapists:
- Relational Group Therapy: This is a 12-hour virtual workshop and equivalent to two full days of training. Therapeutic group work is an essential yet underutilized intervention given its versatility and effectiveness across various sectors. In mental health settings, group work offers a platform for shared experiences, fostering peer support, reducing stigma, and promoting recovery among individuals facing mental health challenges. Given the high prevalence of mental health issues in low-and-middle-income countries, exacerbated by factors such as trauma and poverty, the utilization of group interventions can significantly enhance access to support and treatment. In residential care, group work provides children and adolescents with opportunities to develop social skills, build resilience, and express their emotions in a safe environment. In school settings, group interventions can address issues such as bullying, self-esteem, and emotional regulation, supporting the holistic development of learners.
- Reality Therapy: This 12-hour virtual workshop provides practitioners with specific knowledge and skills regarding the practice of Reality Therapy as a counselling intervention. Reality Therapy’s focuses on empowerment and present-focused solutions. It emphasizes addressing basic psychological needs – belonging, power, freedom, and fun – which is compatible with a relational, strengths-based approach promoted in social work and child & youth care practice. Reality Therapy is also effectively used in mental health settings to address issues like anxiety and depression. Mental health practitioners can utilize its principles to help clients identify needs and develop actionable plans to fulfill them.
- Suicide Assessment and Intervention: This is a 12-hour virtual workshop. Suicide remains a significant global public health challenge, with approximately 703,000 deaths by suicide occurring worldwide each year. Mental health professionals play a critical role in suicide prevention through early identification, comprehensive assessment, and evidence-based intervention. The purpose of this training programme is to equip counsellors with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to work effectively with suicidal clients across diverse settings and populations. While suicide prevention is complex and multifaceted, counsellors who are well-trained and supported can make a profound difference in saving lives and supporting recovery.
Trainings programmes and interventions where mental health services are scarce:
These can be implemented to support people exposed to adversity also by lay people who receive ample training and supervision.
- Problem Management Plus (PM+): A brief, evidence-based psychological intervention for adults affected by adversity who are experiencing distress.
- Self-Help+: A 5 session stress management course for groups.
- EASE (Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions): An evidence-based group intervention to help adolescents affected by internalizing problems to reduce stress.
- Foundational Helping Skills: Essential competencies needed to build a warm and trusting relationship with someone in need.
- Caring for the Carer: An intervention aimed at supporting caregivers and others working directly with children, young people and adults affected by adversity.
- Self-Care – We-Care: A training aimed at discovering the importance of self-care that extends into the wellbeing of others.
- Staff Care: An intervention to support staff working in different organizations to support their wellbeing and enhance resilience.