Trauma-Informed Approaches to Supporting Internally Displaced Children in Adamawa State

This study investigates the application of trauma-informed approaches in supporting the psychosocial wellbeing of internally displaced children in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. The prolonged humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin region has resulted in large numbers of children being displaced from their homes and communities, exposing them to multiple adverse experiences including violence, bereavement, and material deprivation. This research employed a programme evaluation design, assessing the implementation and outcomes of trauma-informed care protocols across five internally displaced persons camp-based child-friendly spaces in Yola and Mubi. Data were gathered through structured observation, stakeholder interviews with humanitarian workers and caregivers, and children's post-assessment using the UCLA Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index. Results indicate that children participating in trauma-informed psychosocial support activities demonstrated significant reductions in post-traumatic stress symptom severity over a 16-week period. Staff trained in trauma-sensitive communication reported greater confidence in responding to children's distress disclosures. Implementation challenges included high staff turnover, limited supervision structures, and insufficient localisation of intervention materials. The study recommends that humanitarian organisations operating in Adamawa State invest in sustained workforce development and community caregiver engagement as essential components of trauma-informed care delivery. Keywords: trauma-informed approaches, internally displaced children, Adamawa State, psychosocial support, post-traumatic stress.