In the last two years, children around the world have experienced unprecedented levels of loss and trauma. To date, more than 1.5 million children have lost a parent or primary carer from the Covid-19 virus. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, there are over 10 million children experiencing levels of violence, terror and loss that no child should ever have to witness.

Apart of Me is a charity that combines design and technology with expertise in child psychology to create effective, engaging, and accessible psychological support for children experiencing loss or trauma. Without the right support, children who experience loss or trauma are more likely to develop mental health and physical health problems as adults. For example: 25% of under 20s who commit suicide have experienced childhood bereavement

This project will enable Apart of Me to co-design ‘A Safer Place’ – a new digital resource, delivering evidence-ased therapeutic activities that parents and vulnerable children aged 5-11 who have experienced loss and trauma can use together.

This funding will enable Apart of Me to:
– Work directly with 30 children aged 5-11, and their families: through a 6 co-design workshops. Young Ukrainian refugees and children from the UK who have experienced loss or trauma will learn design thinking and skills and have a real impact on the development of our new therapeutic tool

– Provide direct support to 500 vulnerable children, in the UK and overseas. Through the development and launch of ‘A Safer Place’ we can offer digital resources and tools to help children, alongside their parents and carers, through loss and trauma.