In my master's thesis I wrote about the use of creative techniques in working with children with trauma in social work centers. I was interested in how practitioners in social work centers work with children with developmentally complex trauma, whether they use any creative techniques, how they use them and for what purpose, and what strengths and challenges they identify in using creative techniques with children with trauma. The research is qualitative, and I conducted semi-standardized interviews with ten practitioners from different social work centers. I found that practitioners in social work centers identify trauma in children by signs in the child's behaviour, emotions, cognitive, psychosomatic, school difficulties and other signs of developmentally complex trauma. When working with a child who has experienced trauma, practitioners attach great importance to attitudes and to adapting to the child. Of the creative techniques, drawing and charts are the most frequently used in their work with a child with a trauma experience, and they are keen to learn more about the use of creative techniques. The professionals see the biggest advantage of using creative techniques as allowing the child to express him/herself more easily, and lack of time as the main barrier.
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