Ericastiftelsen
“De flesta barn och familjer som har bevov av traumabehandling, har inte råd att betala för detta. Samtidigt så minskar tillgången till fri vård för små barn och kompetensen för att behandla traumatiserade barn är extremt underdimensionerad. Situationen är kristisk med tanke på att behovet av specialiserad traumabehandlning hos små barn ökar drastiskt. Ericastiftelsen vill fortsätta att ta emot och behandla så många barn som möjligt. Arbetet som utförs reducerar inte enbart lidande och negativa konsekvenser för de barn och familjer som får hjälp, utan hjälper oss samtidigt att utveckla utbildningar för blivande barntraumaterapeuter. Detta i sin tur leder till att vi kan ge ännu fler barn professionell hjälp. Genom de forskningsprojekt som vi är involverade i, bidrar vi med vår kunskap och metod så att traumatiserade småbarn får den bästa hjälp som kan erbjudas. Sammataget så bidrar allt vårt arbete till att göra en stor skillnad för många barn som riskerar att utveckla både mentala och fysiska symtom som ett resultat av svåra trauman. ”
Anna Norlén, HVerksamhetschef Ericastiftelsen, lärare och barntraumaterapeut
About Ericastiftelsen
Ericastiftelsen is a non-profit, politically and religiously independent foundation that, on behalf of the Swedish government, carries out university education, support efforts and research focusing on psychological treatment of children and young people. The foundation was founded in 1934.
The Foundation's employees are psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, special educators and represent a unique expertise in the treatment of children and young people. The quality of the work at the Ericastiftelsen is reviewed by the University Chancellor's Office (UKÄ), Region Stockholm and other systematic evaluations. The reviews of courses and treatments at Ericastiftelsen are high and show strong anchoring in science and proven experience.
Since the start, the objective has been to offer free, high-quality care to children and their relatives. Through agreements with Region Stockholm it has been possible ever since the start. Due to contract law, unfortunately, specialised care can no longer be offered free of charge (since January 2019). It is deeply worrying as many children in need of treatment do not have families who can pay the fee that must now be taken.
Already 1937 Ericastiftelsen knew that it was the best for children to stay at home with their families and be treated daytime at Ericastiftelsen, instead of being institutionalised.
The method Child-Parent Psychotherapy
Since 2015, Ericastiftelsen has systematically worked to develop the availability of specialised therapy for traumatised children aged 0 - 6 years. It is well known and described in most reports that access to trauma-focused treatment for small children needs to be developed in Sweden. In collaboration with Professor Kjerstin Almqvist at Karlstad University, the method Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) has begun to develop at the Ericastiftelsen. CPP has been scientifically tested with good results in the US. Ericastiftelsen is currently the only institution outside the US that is licensed to independently train in the method.
During the years when the Ericastiftelsen worked with CPP, children who have suffered from child abuse, sexual abuse, experienced domestic violence, loss of parent, war and terror, or who have been subjected to failing care due to mental illness and / or abuse in the parent, received help through CPP treatment.
In the treatment, the child and the non-abusive parent get help together to improve the overall living environment for the child and create the conditions for sustainable positive results. The results of the treatments are evaluated in a research project in collaboration with Karlstad University. In parallel with the treatment work, CPP therapists are trained at Ericastiftelsen so that more children in Sweden can access good trauma treatment. So far, some 30 therapists have been trained. Unfortunately, at present there is no financial means for the Ericastiftelsen to be able to offer children and their caregivers free treatment.