A troubled start in life

Amy was troubled and very sad when she came to Dandelion Time.  Her progress is a testament to the work that she, her carers and the Therapeutic Team did to help her move into a more hopeful and trusting future.

Amy, aged 6, had been exposed to high levels of domestic violence, emotional and sexual abuse, for the first four years of her life and was then placed in foster care.  As a result of her trauma, Amy displayed challenging and aggressive behaviours which her carers found difficult to manage.

Amy was referred to Dandelion Time, together with her younger sister Ella, aged 4, and their foster carers.  The carers hoped that Amy would become more trusting, that she would be able to mix better with other children and feel better about herself.

At first, Amy struggled to concentrate, yet through her curiosity and love of animals, she began to enjoy her time at our farm.  As her sessions progressed, Amy felt increasingly safe in her surroundings and with our team at Dandelion Time.  She demonstrated an ability to slow down, listen and focus on one activity at a time.  This was supported by her foster mum Claire, who was increasingly able to hold loving, caring boundaries.

Attending the charity over 15 weeks her self esteem improved.  She was more able to regulate her emotions and was better able to enjoy activities.  Her carers  were provided with support to better understand the ongoing complexity of Amy’s relationships with others and were very happy that their family was more connected.