Victim Services: Helping Children and Teens Cope with Trauma

Helping Children and Teens Cope With Trauma

• Be direct, simple, honest and appropriate. Explain truthfully what happened.
• Listen to what the child or teen is feeling or asking you. Then respond according to the child or teen's needs and your own ability.
• Encourage the child or teen to express feelings openly. Crying is normal and helpful. So are feelings of anger.
• Accept the emotions and reactions the child or teen expresses. Don't tell the child or teen how she or he should or should not feel.
• Share your feelings with the child or teen. Allow the child or teen to comfort you.
• Offer warmth and your physical presence and affections.
• Be patient. Know that children or teens need to hear and/or tell "the story" and to ask the same questions again and again.
• Reassure the child or teen that the loss is not contagious; that the death of one person does not mean that another loved one will also die or be injured.
• Maintain order, stability and security in the child or teen's life.
• Take your own advice. Take care of yourself. If you're not okay, the child or teen cannot be okay.
• Many counselors can assist in working through feelings. For a referral for assistance, please contact the Department of Juvenile Justice's Victim Advocate by sending an email or by calling the DJJ Victim Advocate toll free at 1-866-922-6360. 

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state`s justice-involved youth up to age 21. Each day, at 25 secure facilities and 78 community services offices throughout the state, more than 2,700 DJJ employees work diligently to effect justice as well as redirect and shape the young lives in the agency`s care so they can take responsibility for their delinquent conduct as well as become contributing members of society. At the same time, DJJ seeks to protect the victims of crimes so that they can rebuild their lives.