Children and War UK was founded in 2021 as a charity whose mission is to develop and deliver psychological support for children traumatised by wars and other disasters worldwide. We achieve this through training and research.

Professor Bill Yule co-founded Children and War UK after decades of experience as a child psychologist in humanitarian emergencies.

Previously we were a supporters group for Norway’s Children and War Foundation, which pioneered the remarkable Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) programme. Our founding board included two of the originators of TRT: Professor Bill Yule and Professor Patrick Smith.

TRT grew out of the field experience of Bill Yule, Patrick Smith, Atle Dyregrov and other clinical psychologists working in humanitarian situations, from the Balkan wars of the 1990s onwards. It was first documented in 2001 by the Foundation, of which Bill Yule was a co-founder.

We continue to work with the Foundation, and we share the same aims and ways of working. We share the results of our research and work together closely, while expanding the impact of TRT from a UK base. 

Now we are a separate charity and rapidly developing our own operations and plans. In recent years we have provided life-changing help to carers looking after children affected by the war in Ukraine, the fire at Grenfell Tower in London, the earthquake in Turkey, and many others. 

For the future, we are looking to increase our research activities and grow our organisation, while continuing to provide TRT training wherever it is most needed. To make this possible, we are expanding our fundraising and welcome conversations with anyone who can help us with grants or donations.