Bring Hope and Healing
to Children and Families in Need
this Christmas
As the festive season approaches, Parkerville Children and Youth Care calls on the community to remember children and young people who have endured the pain of abuse.
Research tells us that by age 15, one in three girls and one in five boys in Australia will have experienced abuse – often repeatedly, in many ways, and at the hands of someone known to them or their family. For many young survivors, the holiday season can stir feelings of anxiety, isolation and grief. Parkerville stands with these children and the safe adults in their lives, offering vital support through counselling, therapy, advocacy and unwavering emotional care, from the moment they disclose abuse to the day they reclaim hope and confidence.
For Parkerville’s 2024 Christmas Appeal, Parkerville Children and Youth Care is sharing Zoe’s* story. After bravely disclosing her experience of abuse last year, Zoe faced the holiday season feeling overwhelmed by anxiety and hopelessness. With the dedicated support of social workers, therapists, psychologists and other caring professionals at Parkerville, Zoe began a healing journey that has allowed her to rediscover joy and hope – feelings she once thought impossible. This Christmas, for the first time, she looks forward to the season, uplifted by the compassionate care she received.
‘Each year, thousands of children in Australia struggle with the trauma of abuse,’ said Kim Brooklyn, CEO of Parkerville Children and Youth Care. ‘It’s heartbreaking to know that one in three girls and one in five boys will experience sexual abuse before the age of 15, that is a staggering number of children who were not afforded the basic safe and secure rights of childhood. Many of these children enter the holiday season feeling distressed and in need of unconditional positive regard, support, care and safety–and that’s exactly what Parkerville provides.’
Parkerville offers trauma-informed specialised programs and compassionate care to help children process difficult emotions, manage trauma and rebuild a sense of safety and trust. We also provide safe family members or safe adult carers, helping them process their own distress and equipping them to create nurturing, healing environments at home. This journey to healing relies on the generosity of donors, whose contributions ensure that these young people and their safe families are not left to face their pain alone.
A gift to Parkerville’s Christmas Appeal provides access to vital resources such as trauma-informed therapy, counselling and mentorship. These services help restore a sense of normalcy, safety and optimism–not only for the holidays but for the future ahead.
‘We want children to look forward to a future where they feel safe, supported and hopeful,’
Ms Brooklyn added. ‘Together with our community, we can help children heal and thrive. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a profound difference.’
This Christmas, you have the power to bring hope to a child in need. By donating to Parkerville’s Christmas Appeal, you can help ensure that children like Zoe experience the joy and security they deserve. To donate, visit www.parkerville.org.au/christmas or contact Parkerville Children and Youth Care at (08) 9235 7000.
*Name changed for privacy
