We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health. It’s about how we think, feel and act. Sometimes we feel well, and sometimes we don’t. When our mental health is good, we feel motivated and able to take on challenges and new experiences. But when our mental health is not so good, we can find it much harder to cope.

Witnessing violence within the home creates a deeply distressing and emotionally charged environment for children, and the consequences of this exposure extend far beyond their immediate surroundings. This continuous exposure to domestic violence can lead to a host of profound emotional and psychological challenges for the child

Mental health support and well-being classes can be hugely beneficial for children who have experienced domestic abuse.

These interventions can help children to process their experiences, build resilience, regulate their emotions, reduce stress and anxiety, and develop coping strategies.

Using play in therapy helps children to express themselves in their own way; especially if they are struggling with the trauma of abuse. It helps them understand how they are feeling and provides coping strategies.

Play Therapy can be a particularly helpful approach for children in need of therapeutic support.

Music Therapy works across a broad spectrum of need in a wide variety of settings to enable children to:

Explore and express thoughts and feelings. Nurture social interaction and communication skills . Encourage creative and spontaneous play and develop concentration and co-ordination.

It also increases awareness of themselves and others and helps to boost self-esteem and build resilience.

Art therapy uses art as the primary mode of expression, alongside talking with an art therapist. It aims to reduce distress and improve social, emotional and mental health by promoting insight, self-compassion, self-worth and build resilience

During art therapy, the children are supported by a therapist to express and articulate often complex thoughts and feelings through art. This may be following difficult or traumatic experiences which may be hard to talk about.

There is clear evidence to suggest that the presence of toys can have a positive impact on the mental health of disadvantaged children..

In particular a comfort toy is used by a wellbeing practitoner to build trust and to provide children with a sense of security, comfort, and a distraction from their daily challenges.