Children and Youth Service – Brain Injury Matters

The Children and Youth service is designed and dedicated to empower families to support children and young people who have sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI) throughout Northern Ireland.

We recognise that the whole family system is affected when a child or young person sustains an ABI. Our service works with the whole family unit to enable everyone to better manage the impact of ABI in daily life. Evidence-based practice forms the foundation of all our work.

Who can make a referral?

Anyone can make a referral to Children and Youth Services and we accept referrals from across Northern Ireland. Once a referral is received we will contact the family or referral agent directly to discuss the next steps. To make a referral please complete the children and youth referral form.

Social Activities

Activities will be provided regionally for children, young people and their families. These will provide fun activities and the opportunity to model and facilitate connection and interaction.

The benefits of the programme will consist of:

• Developing social interaction skills
• Encouraging activity outside the family unit
• Encouraging activities for enjoyment
• Promoting exercise for physical and psychological benefit
• Promoting meaningful family, social interactions
• Development of peer friendships
• Identification of personal interests

Family Based Support

Our practitioners work alongside the child, young person and family unit to empower them to provide the appropriate support to their child with ABI. Tailored support takes place in the family home, local community or online via our Family First portal.

We work in partnership with parents/carers, children and siblings to ensure the family are equipped to take confident steps towards positive progress.

• Support is tailored to meet the child, young person and families’ needs and may include:
• Help families better understand ABI and its impact on the whole family
• Explore ways to manage potential problems that might arise
• Provide skills and strategies to equip families to problem solve
• Support families to identify goals and work towards achieving them
• Help families make gains through evidence-based support
• Help keep families connected
• Empower families to feel confident in supporting each other post childhood ABI

Workshops

Workshops are run by children and youth service practitioners regionally to help connect families who have shared experiences of childhood ABI. We provide workshops for parents/carers, children with ABI and siblings involved in our service. These workshops are tailored to meet the specific needs of families.

• ABI information
• Behaviour
• Sleep
• Emotional wellbeing
• School
• Social relationships
  

Peer Mentoring

This programme will educate and support young adults with ABI to become mentors to a group of 13-18 year olds with ABI. The peer mentoring scheme will be delivered in the Southern Trust Area in partnership with Southern Trust Community Brain Injury