A Workshop for Caregivers: Helping Children Cope with War

Coming this Saturday:

Supporting Children Affected by the Iraqi War: What Responders Need to Know [pdf flyer]

Betsy McAlister Groves, LICSW
Director, Child Witness to Violence Project, Boston Medical Center, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine.

Major Molinda Chartrand, MD
Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences

Brandeis University, Schwartz Auditorium [directions]
October 20, 2007
9:30 - Registration
10:00 – 1:00 Presentation

Program details:

Wartime operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have a significant impact on the children and families of deployed soldiers, now numbering more than 1.5 million persons. Many families and children are able to cope in healthy ways with the stresses of deployment and parental absence.

However, for some families, especially those in which the soldier is injured, killed or psychologically debilitated, the experience may have a traumatic effect on all family members.

The goal of this workshop is to present a framework for understanding the range of children’s responses to the stressors of having a parent deployed to a war front and to identify strategies to support those children who may be more vulnerable.

Drawing upon research findings from studies of military families, and the clinical experiences with traumatized children seen in the Child Witness to Violence Project at Boston Medical Center, the presenters will give an overview of childhood traumatic stress and its effects on social and emotional development.

Guidelines for identifying children who are at risk and for providing support that builds on family and community strengths will be presented.

Educational Objectives
* To increase knowledge of child traumatic stress and its effects on child development.
* To increase knowledge about the stresses of deployment and typical family reactions to deployment.
* To gain skills at identifying children who may be at risk.
* To become familiar with principles of intervention and support for children and families.

Co-sponsored by SOFAR, National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter; Mass Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Brandeis University, Lemberg Children’s Center PCFINE and MAPP

Continuing Education Information
The Massachusetts Association for Psychoanalytic Psychology (MAPP) offers continuing education for psychologists and social workers. MAPP is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. MAPP maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Please contact Alice Rapkin at 781-433-0906 for the number of continuing education credits available and the authorization number.

The Lemberg Children’s Center, Education Program, Brandeis University will issue certificates of participation for educators.

SOFAR is a program of PCFINE