Art Therapy For Abused Children On Tayside

An exhibition of artwork by children who have lived with substance abuse or domestic violence has gone on display in Arbroath.

The pictures were produced at a summer school for young people in Tayside who have lived with abusive adults.

They used the course to express their feelings and depict how negative adult behaviour affected their lives.

The images will be studied by youth workers, who will use the information to develop support services.

They have also been turned into posters, which will be used to highlight the issues involved.

About 14 children aged between six and 16 took part in the summer school.

Kathryn Sharp, from the Tayside Domestic Abuse and Substance Misuse Project, said the initiative had helped them come to terms with their ordeal.

She said: “We worked with the young people throughout the summer so that they were able to have a voice and represent their experiences of domestic abuse and substance misuse.

“The launch of the exhibition provides an opportunity for statutory and voluntary services across Tayside to listen to these voices and reflect on how we can develop services to meet the needs of these young people.”

The exhibition is being displayed at the Cafe Project in Arbroath, before going on tour across the region.