Rebekah Pierre

Rebekah Pierre

I have worked extensively with children and families in settings where disasters are common, including overseas in Uganda, India, and Chile; the latter included working with the UN ministry of education in ural Tarapaca, where earthquakes were frequent, and the land heavily impacted by climate change. My most recent experience of disaster settings was during the COVID-19 pandemic, where I worked as a frontline social worker in an inner-London child protection team. As an editor of this work, I bring the dual perspective of being both a social work practitioner, as well as somebody with lived experience of the care system. I have written extensively around the manifestation of trauma within the body, and ways in which practitioners can help children to reconnect with their embodied selves – which may have been home to abuse or suffering – through creative methods. Having been through the process of sharing my lived experience through autoethnographic works, I am passionate about encouraging others to share their story in a way in which they have complete ownership – something I drew upon throughout this book. I am currently a Professional Officer at BASW England.