Personal Blogs

Play as a strategy is used by professionals to support children going through profound and life changing experiences, in impoverished and war torn areas of the globe.

Shirley de Schipper a UK social worker , colleague and lifelong friend,  led targeted intervention programmes within village communities in Rwanda, during 2015. Shirley worked directly with refugee children who had suffered severe trauma and adversity often losing their entire family to civil conflict. The programme focused upon early intervention. The source of much stress was reduced by providing children and young people with prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation. In tandem, practitioners focused upon the child’s emotional needs.  

Shirley approached a local hotelier whose establishment had a large outdoor swimming pool, Shirley and the children were allowed to use the pool a few times a week. The children were encouraged to swim as physical therapy, and to use the time for play.

Shirley cites the benefits of play as a dominant factor in supporting the children through loss and change. I hope you find it as useful as I do when supporting children's transitions 

The montage of images were supplied courtesy of Shirley.