Zac was just 7 years old when he was referred to KidsAid following the breakdown of several foster placements. Concerns had been raised about the stability of his current placement, as his carers were finding it increasingly difficult to manage his behaviour.
An initial assessment highlighted a range of emotional and psychological challenges, including attachment difficulties, emotional dysregulation, heightened anxiety, and low self-esteem.
KidsAid recommended a course of 30 individual creative therapy sessions to help Zac begin to process the trauma from his early childhood experiences. Following this, an additional 8 parent-child attachment sessions were advised to strengthen the bond between Zac and his foster carers and to support healthier patterns of attachment and communication.
In the early stages of therapy, Zac frequently tested boundaries and became easily frustrated during sessions. He would often express intense self-criticism if he felt he had failed at a task—whether while playing a game or engaging in creative activities like art. These moments were gently explored in therapy, with Zac’s therapist working to reframe his experiences and validate his emotional responses. This helped Zac begin to understand that frustration is a natural emotion and does not define his worth or capabilities.
Over time, Zac became increasingly comfortable expressing his feelings. As he developed trust in his therapist, he started to open up more consistently. His therapist provided reflective feedback that reinforced Zac’s sense of being heard and understood, contributing to an improvement in his self-esteem.
By the end of the individual sessions, Zac had made significant progress. He was able to identify and talk about his emotions and had begun to apply newly learned coping strategies—such as breathing exercises—when faced with frustration or stress. His foster carers noted that Zac was now able to remove himself from challenging situations and regulate his emotions more effectively.
The parent-child attachment sessions played a key role in reinforcing the progress Zac had made. These sessions gave his carers practical tools and strategies to help support Zac during moments of emotional dysregulation, particularly when he exhibited trauma responses. The shared experience of these sessions also helped foster a deeper connection, enabling Zac and his carers to discover new ways of relating and communicating with one another. This contributed to an increased sense of safety and emotional security for Zac.
To monitor Zac’s progress, his foster carers completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the intervention. Results demonstrated a marked improvement in Zac’s emotional wellbeing over the course of the therapy.
At the final review meeting, Zac’s carers reported a significant reduction in his anxiety and noted that he was now managing stressful situations in a more adaptive and constructive manner. Most notably, the strengthened bond between Zac and his carers led to a mutual desire to make the placement permanent—providing Zac with the long-term stability and sense of belonging that are essential for healthy development.
