The Ripple Pond wanted to share an exciting new set of free resources to help Armed Forces families talk with children about injury and PTSD.When a parent or family member is living with injury or trauma linked to their military service, the impact can reach across the whole family. Children may notice changes in someone they love or in family life, but knowing how to explain what’s happening in a way they can understand can be difficult.
That’s why, through their Family Focus Project, The Ripple Pond has developed Understanding Injury: a collection of practical, age-appropriate resources designed to help families find ways to approach these conversations together.
Developed with input from families with lived experience and specialist professionals, the resources include:
Age-appropriate materials for Key Stage 1, 2 and 3
Conversation prompts and suggested wording to help parents find a starting point
Follow-up resources to support understanding
Accompanying videos (for KS2 / 3) designed to be used alongside the information packsThese aren’t instructions about what to say or how anyone should feel. They offer families a starting point, helping them find the language and confidence to approach conversations in ways that feel right for them.
The resources were developed with funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and were initially shared with The Ripple Pond’s Members and partners. They are now freely available to everyone, so families and professionals can access and share them whenever they may be helpful.
To read this newsletter in full, please go to: New free resources to help Armed Forces families talk about injury and PTSD
To find out more about the resources available, please go to: Understanding Injury Resources | The Ripple Pond