<aside> 💡 My mission is to speak, train, write and consult as means to inform and inspire anyone working with troubled children to help them recover from adversity, trauma and abuse.
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It makes sense to know a little about the person behind this website, so here goes:
My name is Jonny Matthew, I’m 59 years old and I live in Bridgend, South Wales, U.K. I have two lovely kids, called Gruff (24) and Annie (18). When I’m not working, I like to play with my Apple gadgets, make stuff out of clay, read, ride my motorbike, go to the cinema and spend time with my wife, Karen. Oh, and visit my lovely family in Cornwall (my favourite place in the world).
My passion is working to help young people in crisis to recover. I also like to inspire colleagues to do the same.
All of my work aims to promote the rights, well-being and future success of children and young people whose start in life has been a struggle. Maybe they’ve been abused, neglected, brain-injured, abandoned to the care system, or they have a mental illness – whatever the cause, it’s been a struggle!
<aside> 💡 “Jonny’s huge wealth of understanding and his work with young people through Youth Justice projects clearly comes through. He’s presents all his experience and knowledge in a way that is so accessible to frontline practitioners. Each time we engage with him it becomes ever more clear that we need his compassion and understanding of our troubled young people communicating to a much wider audience.”
Sheila Taylor MBE Chief Executive, National Working Group on Child Sexual Exploitation (NWG)
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I am a social worker and criminologist.
My experience includes youth work, substance misuse, youth justice social work, harmful sexual behaviour assessment & treatment, tier 4 forensic CAMHS and helping to manage a secure children’s home. I am a co-author of the Trauma Recovery Model (TRM) and director of social care at the TRM Academy. I also have personal experience of adoption & ADHD.
<aside> 💡 A BRIEF BIO:
© Jonny Matthew 2025