If people don’t have the opportunity to heal from trauma, they may unknowingly pass it on to others through their behaviour. Their children may experience difficulties with attachment, disconnection from their extended families and culture and high levels of stress from family and community members who are dealing with the impacts of trauma. This can create developmental issues for children, who are particularly susceptible to distress at a young age. This creates a cycle of trauma, where the impact is passed from one generation to the next.

In Australia, intergenerational trauma predominantly affects the children, grandchildren and future generations of the Stolen Generations.

Stolen Generations members might also pass on the impacts of institutionalisation, finding it difficult to know how to nurture their children because they were denied the opportunity to be nurtured themselves.

For more resources on intergenerational trauma head to our website

Animation voiced by Vale Uncle Jack Charles and Amber Romeril.

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