"Pokemon Go appreciation for Children in Care"

#PokemonGO: TL/DR Working with children with profound emorional and behavioural difficulties, Pokemon Go has been an absolute Godsend in terms of focusing energy and a tool to use as a distraction for kids who struggle daily with emotional difficulties. I take playing Pokemon for granted but working with these guys, it has become much more than just a game as it has prevented a child from a prison sentance and given another an excuse to enjoy being a child, something he has never done before. Personally, Niantic have produced a game that will help some people more profoundly than they expected and for that i will always be grateful.My job is too look after children in Care who have come from backgrounds of abuse and neglect and suffer from emotional and behavioural difficulties. Pokemon go has been a positive tool for helping them. I worked with one teenager who was 15 and on the verge of receiving a custodial sentence due to his violence, anti social behaviour and substance misuse, he wasnt a bad kid but his past and upbringing had a huge affect on him where he was unable to manage his behaviour that was driven by emotions. I introduced him to Pokemon Go where he used this as a tool to focus him and too walk around the block to get space when he felt that he was becoming too overwhelmed. This was a godsend for him to interact with more appropiate teenagers.For a 12 year old i work with who suffered extreme neglect would have been left to his own devices on the computer all day. Using Pokemon go has enabled him to get out the house, and explore. He gets excited about any moveset he gets and becones animated around finding anything even remotely rare. We are out all of the time and interact with other players. This is the first time this child has been truly a child. via /r/pokemongo http://ift.tt/2qOjYCQ