Support for Children and Young People Impacted by Family Violence, Separation or Relational Disruption

 

Children and young people who have lived through family violence, caregiver separation, or significant disruption often carry body-level, relational, and emotional effects of those experiences — even when they don’t have the words to describe them. Exposure to violence and instability can impact sense of safety, trust in relationships, emotional regulation, behaviour at school and home, and a child’s emerging identity and belonging.

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At Alchemy Therapeutic, we offer trauma-aware, attachment-focused support that meets children and young people where they are — in their bodies, in their relationships, and in their everyday lives. This work is guided by safety, choice, and respect for the child’s pace and voice, not pressure to perform or explain.

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What this support offers

Our approach with children and young people aims to:

• Create a safe, predictable space where they can begin to feel settled and understood

• Support emotional and nervous system balancing, helping children feel steadier in themselves

• Explore relational experiences in ways that make sense to the child — through movement, play, talk, nature, or creative expression

• Strengthen coping skills, self-understanding, and confidence after living with disruption

• Collaborate with caregivers and professionals where helpful and with consent

• Support school engagement, relationships, and everyday functioning

 

We understand that children don’t always present their distress in words — it often shows up in behaviour, withdrawal, somatic experiences, or felt fear. Our role is to walk alongside them with curiosity, respect, attunement, and consistency.

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How it works

Support is tailored to each child’s needs and may include:

• In-room or community-based sessions (e.g., parks, outdoor spaces) suitable to the child’s comfort

• Activities that support regulation and relational connection rather than forced disclosure

• Collaboration with caregivers to support consistency and safety at home and school

• Liaison with other professionals (teachers, caseworkers, allied health) as needed

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We see the child’s strengths first and create support that honours their story — not their deficits.

 

The benefits

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Children and young people often experience:

• A stronger sense of safety in their bodies and relationships

• Increased capacity to manage emotions and behaviour

• Improved engagement and confidence at school

• Greater self-understanding and agency

• Support that builds resilience rather than overwhelm

 

These shifts support not just moment-to-moment regulation but more enduring growth and wellbeing over time.