Background to the Research

• Groups and organisations providing services to victims and survivors of the NI conflict agreed the need to address issues associated with young people and the 'ripple' of 'intergenerational effects' of the conflict.
• Barnardo's decided to pilot work with parents/carers in areas most affected by conflict, on issues directly and indirectly arising from the conflict. The work came under the remit of the Victim's Unit of the First and Deputy First Minister.

Research Approach

• Hermann's (1992) definition of trauma was used: 'the responses to trauma are best understood as a spectrum of conditions, rather than a single disorder'
• Two groups of women were involved. All were from working-class interface communities (Protestant-Unionist-Loyalist and Catholic-Nationalist-republican), had experienced traumatic events in the company of their children, had had some support in the immediate aftermath, and had the capacity to protect their children called into question.
  

Main Findings

• The parents in each group expressed similar needs: to regain a sense of safety, to be able to talk to their children and help them feel safe, to learn more about what had happened to them, to make their community a safer place, to 'move on' and regain a sense of hope and trust, and to be able to help children and young people come to terms with political events and problems.
• Parents identified what they wanted from the group work: to develop skills to support recovery, to know what trauma was and how to recognize it in themselves or their children, and to get help regarding health concerns.
• Both groups wanted to 'move on', but some felt unable at that time to do so by working within the group.
• The parents acknowledged that they could not discuss or engage with their children following events, if they failed to recognize how they themselves changed and how they were living with the effects of their experiences.
• At a personal level, group A described the work as very useful, especially learning abut the impact of trauma on children, while group B also commented on these benefits, and being more able to support the children. At a community level, group A were disappointed that their community doesn't stick together, while group B described the work as leading to better preparation for the community.
• Effective work was identified by the willingness of the participants, which was evident from various factors, such as participants taking care of themselves and others, making connections between their own and their children's responses, and using the group as a resource.
• The key learning from the work with both groups is as follows:
  • The parents, children, families and communities have been deeply affected.
  • Restoring a sense of safety is the parents' priority for themselves, their children, families, and the wider community.
  • Parents are usually best placed to support their children in the long run.
  • Trauma recovery can only progress alongside a strong social and political movement for human rights.
  • Trauma recovery is central to peace building.
  • Group work is an important counter to the isolation imposed by trauma.

Conclusion

• In order to develop the resilience of children, young people, families and communities, there is a need to bear witness - to recognize, acknowledge and address the impacts of conflict - and to develop skills that will transform relationships and structure.