To bring psychosocial trauma support and care into the core of Singapore’s community, KKH and Temasek Care launched the Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children.
A child can be traumatised from the loss of a parent or after becoming a victim of an accident or personal abuse – or if catastrophe strikes. To prevent developmental and psychological difficulties that may arise, the child’s family and community need to cope with both the events and the ensuing trauma.
To bring psychosocial trauma support and care into the core of Singapore’s community, KKH and Temasek Care launched the Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children on 5 July. This programme is the first in Singapore to create a support network for children affected by trauma, and is a successive collaboration between KKH and Temasek Cares following the launch of the Temasek Cares KITS (Kids in Tough Situations) programme in April 2014.
KITS (Kids in Tough Situations) programme planned to build up a capable pool of school counsellors and social workers to help identify and provide Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) to children who have experienced trauma.
Ms Low See Yim, Principal Social Worker, Montfort Care, said, “Since joining the Temasek Cares KITS programme two years ago, I have acquired and have been using TF-CBT to help children and adolescents in the community. As these children have undergone traumatic situations, I was able to effectively apply the therapy method to assess their trauma symptoms and provide the much needed intervention.
“On a personal level, not only has the skill acquisition added to my repertoire of therapy skills, it has also equipped me to conduct community outreach activities to share my knowledge of trauma and its effects on children and adolescents with the general public.”
“The comprehensive coverage and support provided by the programme will allow the local community to band together during times of crisis to render the necessary psychosocial support, build resilience, and care for our children with traumatic stress.”
- Associate Professor Ng Kee Chong, Chairman of the Division of Medicine at KKH and Director of the Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children
The Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children aims to broaden the reach of what the KITS programme had achieved in the past two years to more school counsellors, community-based psychologists and social workers. The programme will then establish a learning network among them to expand trauma support for children in the community.
In addition, it will develop an evidence-based model to train schools and community in trauma first-aid and recovery skills and enhance a TF-CBT model that is customised to fit Singapore’s local culture and population.
The Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children aims to reach out to approximately 10,000 children and their families through outreach efforts, which will focus on educating the wider population in understanding trauma, its impact, and how and when to seek trauma related support or treatment for a child.
Associate Professor Ng Kee Chong, Chairman of the Division of Medicine at KKH and Director of the Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children, said, “One of the vital components of the programme is the establishment of localised training resources for post-trauma support that will be more relevant and effective for our local community.
“The comprehensive coverage and support provided by the programme will allow the local community to band together during times of crisis to render the necessary psychosocial support, build resilience, and care for our children with traumatic stress.”
The S$3.5 million programme is generously funded by Temasek Cares and will be implemented over a period of three and a half years.
