What are the ingredients of resilience?

All children have abilities and strengths that can help them cope with everyday life. We can develop a young person's resilience by paying attention to those strengths and building on them.

Research suggests that there are seven essential components, all interrelated.

• Character - a fundamental sense of right and wrong that helps children make wise choices, contribute to the world, and become stable adults. 
• Competence - the ability to handle situations effectively. 
• Confidence - the solid belief in one's own abilities. 
• Connection - close ties to family, friends, school, and community give children a sense of security and values that prevent them from seeking destructive alternatives to love and attention. 
• Contribution - when children realize that the world is a better place because they are in it, they will take actions and make choices that improve the world. They will also develop a sense of purpose to carry them through future challenges. 
• Coping - children who learn to cope effectively with stress are better prepared to overcome life's challenges. 
• Control - when children realise that they can control their decisions and actions, they're more likely to know that they have what it takes to bounce back.