1 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Good Morning 2 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Worldwide, over 1.5 Billion People experience some conflict 3 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 In response, people are forced to flee their country. 4 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 leaving over 15 million refugees. 5 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 children without a doubt are 6 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 the most innocent and vulnerable victims 7 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 but not just from the obvious physical dangers, 8 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 but from, the often, unspoken affects that wars have on their families. 9 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 The experiences of war leave children at real high risk 10 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 for the development of emotional and behavioural problems. 11 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 children as we can only imagine, 12 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 will feel worried, threaten and at risk. 13 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 but there is good news. 14 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 The Quality of care that children recieve 15 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in their families, can have a more significant 16 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 effects on their well-being, than from 17 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 the actual experiences of war that they have been exposed to. 18 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So actually, children can be protected 19 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 by warm, secure parenting. 20 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 during and after conflict. 21 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 In 2011 I was a first year PHD Student 22 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in the University Of Manchester 23 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 School Of Physiological Sciences. 24 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Like many of you here, I watched the crisis in Syria 25 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 unfold in front of me on the Tv. 26 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 My family are originally from Syria, and very early on 27 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I lost several family members in really horrifying ways. 28 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I sit and I gathered with my family to watch the Tv. 29 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So we have all seen those scenes, 30 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 barns destroying, buildings, chaos, destruction. 31 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and people screaming and running. 32 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 it was always the people screaming and running 33 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that really got me the most. 34 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Specially those terrified looking children. 35 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I was a mother to two young, typically inquisitive children. 36 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 They were five and six then. 37 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 At an age when they typically ask lots and lots of questions 38 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and expect real convincing answers. 39 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So I began to wonder what it might be like 40 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to parent my children in a war-zone and a refugee camp. 41 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Would my children change? 42 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Would my daughter's bright happy eyes lose their shine? 43 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 would my sons' really relax care-free nature 44 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 become fearful and withdrawn? 45 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 How would I cope? 46 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Would I change? 47 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 As psychologists and parent's trainers 48 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we know that arming parents 49 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 with skills and caring for their children 50 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 can have a huge effect on their well-being. 51 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We call this Parents Training. 52 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 The questions I had was 53 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Could Parent Training programs be useful for families 54 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 while they're still in war-zones or refugee camps? 55 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Could we reach them with advise or training 56 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that would help them through the struggles? 57 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, I approached my PHD supervisor, 58 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 professor Rachel Calam, 59 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 with my idea of using my academic skills 60 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to make some changes in the real world. 61 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I wasn't quite sure, exactly, what I wanted to do. 62 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 She listened carefully and patiently, 63 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 And to my joy, she said: 64 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 "If that is what you want to do, 65 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and it means so much to you, Let's do it. 66 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's find ways to see if parent programs can be useful 67 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 for families in this contexts." 68 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So for the past five years myself and my colleagues, 69 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 professor Calam and Dr. Kim Cartwright 70 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 have been working on ways to support families 71 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that have experienced war and displacement. 72 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Now, to know how to help families that have been 73 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 through conflict, support their children, 74 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 the first step must obviously be 75 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to ask them what are they struggling with. Right? 76 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I mean, it seems obvious, 77 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 but often those are the most vulnerable 78 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that we are trying to support that we actually don't ask. 79 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 How many times have we just assumed 80 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we know exactly the right thing that is gonna help 81 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 someone or something without actually asking 82 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 them first.