Spread the Joy
this Easter
The Easter Bunny is preparing his long trek around the globe, and here at Parkerville Children and Youth Care, we are preparing behind the scenes to make some Easter magic for all the children in our care.
Waking up Easter morning to an Easter surprise and having the opportunity to go on an Easter egg hunt is important to the healing journey for these young children. It not only brings warmth and joy in a time of need, but it also creates a happy childhood memory that they can look back on for years to come.
Bring some Easter magic to life for children and young people like Royce, 1, and his mum Bec, 19.
Royce and his mum, Bec, entered our Youth Service’s Young Women’s Program when Royce was just 6 months old.
Bec was dealing with significant trauma following the loss of her primary carer at the age of 14 and past experiences of sexual assault.
More recently, Bec had built up the courage to access our services and leave a highly abusive relationship. Her motivation to keep Royce safe from any further harm from being exposed to family and domestic violence proved to be the major catalyst for all the positive changes they both began to experience.
When Bec contacted our team, they immediately welcomed her and made Bec and Royce feel safe and secure in one of our supported accommodation homes. Once Bec and Royce trusted the safety that was wrapped around them, the team could identify other supports they both would benefit from. These supports included finding long term accommodation, supporting their psychological and emotional wellbeing, and improving Bec’s independent living skills, parenting skills and financial security.
Since working with our team, Bec has learnt meal preparation, housework and cleaning skills, budgeting, weekly planning and food hygiene. She has engaged with a counsellor to address past childhood traumas and is pursuing support from Parkerville CYC therapeutic services to emotionally prepare for upcoming court cases where she will be obligated to talk about past abuse.
We are so proud of Bec and all that she has achieved. She is a great mum, a great role model for her son, and she is so dedicated to being the best parent she can be. Despite some days being hard as memories from her past experiences impact on her wellbeing, Bec has accepted all opportunities we have offered her to learn about attachment and parenting, life skills, and even things like (re)learning how to play so that she can do that with Royce knowing that she is intentionally helping him to meet his social and developmental milestones.
As Easter approaches, it is our hope that together we can help Bec create new and happy memories with Royce by waking up Easter morning to an Easter egg hunt and chocolate surprise.
Together, we can remind children and young people like Bec and Royce about the magic of Easter and help them to build towards a more positive future.
* Names and images have been changed to retain the privacy and safety of the people we assist.
Donate to the Parkerville Children and Youth Care Easter Appeal today, and you will be creating an Easter which each of the 204 children and young people currently in our care and accessing our services deserve.
Your donation will be used to purchase chocolate eggs and Easter gifts, and with your support, we hope to create an Easter memory they can talk about with their friends at school and look back on with happiness for years to come.
Donate today, visit parkerville.org.au/support-us/donate/easter-appeal
Published in Messenger April 2023
Parkerville Children and Youth Care
Parkerville Children and Youth Care works alongside vulnerable children, young people and their families with specialist advocacy, therapeutic services, youth homelessness accommodation and supports, education and employment training, early intervention and prevention services, and out of home care.
