by Lexi Aggen
Find out how some Angel Tree camping partners are using specialized training to care for children who need help processing trauma.
“I think I would probably have been going down really wrong paths if I didn’t have camp,” says Trystan, an Angel Tree® camper. “I honestly don't know what my life would be like without camp.”
For many children across the country, attending camp is the highlight of the year. The fun activities, new friends, and engaging counselors create memorable moments in a child’s life. More importantly, camp opens doors to share the Gospel in new and exciting ways. In 2002, Prison Fellowship® launched Angel Tree camping, in order to provide scholarships for children with a parent in prison to attend camp at little to no cost.
Camp isn’t just about fun activities or getting outdoors—it’s a space for healing. For children who have experienced trauma, this opportunity can have a lasting impact. According to the American Camping Association, children who attend camp have increased confidence, stronger faith, and improved relationships with family members.
AN ONGOING PROBLEM
Mental health professionals often use adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to identify traumatic experiences that may have long-term negative effects on a child. Included on the list of experiences is abuse or neglect, violence in the home, exposure to drugs or alcohol, experiencing the loss of a loved one through suicide, and parental incarceration.
When a parent is incarcerated, the child’s home life often changes. The home may now be led by a single parent, or the child may be sent to relatives or enter the foster system. A child’s schoolwork and social life are also impacted, and feelings of shame can be overwhelming.
Studies have shown that one of the best ways to counteract the negative effect of ACEs is to introduce positive childhood experiences (PCEs). Camp is an ideal environment for many PCEs to take place.
While at camp, children partake in activities they don’t get the opportunity to at home, like rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, and more. Additionally, children can make new friends with others who are also experiencing the impact of having a parent in prison. Counselors provide mentorship and a positive role model. Camp also provides a week for parents or guardians to step back and relax, knowing their children are loved and cared for while they rest.
Above all, camp provides a space for children to hear the Gospel. For many Angel Tree children, camp is the first place they hear about the love of Christ and the sacrifice He made.
UNIQUE NEEDS DEMAND A UNIQUE APPROACH
Having a parent incarcerated can also cause children to feel abandoned, fearful, and unsure of who they can trust. While at camp, children may express negative behavioral issues as a result of the trauma they’ve experienced. Camps caring for children who have endured traumatic experiences must be properly equipped to respond to these behaviors.
In 2021, Angel Tree camping partnered with Psalm68five Ministries, an organization that seeks to provide camp experiences to children growing up without a father. Psalm68five and Angel Tree partner to offer camps Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI) training. TBRI® is a research-based relational model for trauma-informed care, specifically targeting how to interact with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma. It was developed by the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development to help meet the needs of children who experienced early traumatic events—including having a parent in prison.
Angel Tree camping seeks to provide the best camp experience to children with a parent in prison—not just through funding, but by providing camps with the tools necessary to care for the children well. In addition to providing the three-day in-person TBRI trainings, Angel Tree camping offers targeted sessions during Focus Conference, Prison Fellowship’s conference for camping partners, and provides camping-specific training videos.
Camps that participate in TBRI trainings have reported positive responses from campers and staff alike. Alice Webber, an employee of Black Lake Bible Camp, was able to take what she learned from the training sessions and share it with her staff.
“The training was super valuable. It was something that I had kind of heard about, but the training was pretty amazing,” says Alice. “A lot of our cabin leaders that have been around for a while were like, ‘We wish we had had this our first year.’”
AN EASY ADDITION
Prison Fellowship staff member Steve Collins has likewise seen firsthand the positive outcomes trauma-informed care leads to. He appreciates the ease with which camps can implement it.
“That’s why I'm so excited about the fact that we're able to provide that training,” says Steve, “because it's not like we're asking camp directors, ‘Hey, forget everything you know and do this instead.’ … A lot of it is building relationship with the kids, connecting with them in playful ways. I mean, that's camp.”
One aspect of TBRI is acknowledging children’s physical needs. This may be as small as counselors carrying granola bars around for children and offering this when a meltdown occurs instead of reprimanding the behavior because this behavior can be a sign of low blood sugar. Other times, it means providing earplugs to children who experience sensory overload during worship. Angel Tree camping also provides water bottles and flashlights free of charge for camps to give to campers.
Trauma-informed care isn’t about behavior modification; it’s about getting down to the child’s level, understanding why they are acting out, and teaching the child how to regulate the emotions they’re dealing with.
Using trauma-informed care not only helps children learn to regulate, but it can lay the foundation for sharing the Gospel. For children who have experienced traumatic events, knowing they are safe and connected helps make them ready to hear and understand the Good News of Jesus.
Angel Tree camping and Psalm68five are currently some of the only programs that camps can participate in to receive hands on training in TBRI. For Prison Fellowship, the implementation of these practices at camp is key to creating a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for children with a parent in prison.
As we work to help their parents receive a second chance after reentry, trauma-informed camping is a way to give children a true “first chance”—introducing them to Jesus and facilitating positive experiences that help heal trauma and spark fresh hope.
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