There are children within the community who struggle with exposure to early childhood trauma whether that be abuse, home life that is lacking in nurture, or exposure to violence. Thanks in part to support from The Ireland Funds, Blue Box Creative Arts Therapy Centre is the first program of its kind in Europe to offer creative arts psychotherapy both in their centre and in select schools.
I would like to sincerely thank The Ireland Funds and in particular thank the Donors for their foresight and compassionate action and with a spirit of great generosity in supporting and investing in this life-changing intervention for children and the future generations of Ireland.
— Bernadette Kenny CEO of The Blue Box Creative Arts Therapy Centre
There are children within the community who struggle with exposure to early childhood trauma whether that be abuse, home life that is lacking in nurture, or exposure to violence. Thanks in part to support from The Ireland Funds, Blue Box Creative Arts Therapy Centre is the fi rst program of its kind in Europe to offer creative arts psychotherapy both in their centre and in select schools. Through play therapy, music therapy, art therapy, drama, dance, and movement therapies with trained and accredited therapists, the Centre tackles its mission to help the most marginalized and disadvantaged children progress and grow. Here, Bernadette Kenny, CEO of The Blue Box Creative Arts Therapy Centre, shares her thanks with you, The Ireland Funds donors, for making this vital work possible.
The Blue Box is the only charity in Ireland and Europe that has dedicated its resources to child psychotherapy with family support. Since 1997, The Blue Box has worked with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and youth in Limerick, using Creative Arts Therapy as a primary intervention response in over 16 DEIS (disadvantaged) schools, as well as with social services referrals.
It is the only charity to offer:
- Direct treatment through Creative Arts Therapy to children/youth in need of services
- A complete and comprehensive evaluation framework that supports the child, the family/school and the Therapist in a professional, transparent, responsive and dynamic structure.
- Affordable, adaptive and accessible services through the school environment
The work in schools that is supported by The Ireland Funds…
- Reaches families that cannot avail of outside services and are therefore marginalized and are high priority
- Supports teachers and principals to be more effective in their mission of education
- Has designed an evaluative framework that holds accountability to the service users and stakeholders
- Is the first organization to develop Creative Arts Therapy services in Ireland for children in schools and social work
