Category Archives: AAA Caregiving

Outcomes in child welfare: What a well-modulated nervous system looks like

Posted on November 3, 2022 by colbypearce

In this, the third blog in this series, I will write about what a well-modulated nervous system looks like among children and young people who are recovering from a tough start to life. Please also refer to the first and … Continue reading →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Fostering, kinship care, trauma informed | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Child Welfare Intervention Outcomes: What we know and what we see

Posted on October 23, 2022 by colbypearce

What outcomes do you expect to see as a result of my service provision? This is a question I routinely ask in my work. Put another way: These are, perhaps, the fundamental questions that get at the hopes of the … Continue reading →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Therapy, Training Programs, trauma informed care, trauma informed practice, Trauma Informed Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What do children in care need to recover from relational trauma?

Posted on May 18, 2022 by colbypearce

In recent posts I have referred to three things that children in out-of-home care need, and need adults who are responsible for their care and welfare to understand, to support their recovery from complex relational trauma. These three things are: … Continue reading →

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How do I get my child to go to sleep in their own bed?

Posted on April 21, 2022 by colbypearce

In this blog I describe a methodology I used with my own children, and recommend in my practice. Before doing so, I would advise that this is a routine that I sustained across years. My children and I enjoyed this … Continue reading →

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How long does it take for therapeutic care strategies to work?

Posted on April 20, 2022 by colbypearce

The ‘failure’ of a therapeutic care strategy to achieve the desired outcome on first administration does not necessarily mean that it will not or that it is a worthless strategy. Children and young people who are recovering from a tough … Continue reading →

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Why does my child need ‘therapeutic care’?

Posted on April 1, 2022 by colbypearce

A child’s adjustment, like many aspects of their functioning, is usefully thought of as sitting on a spectrum ranging from maladjustment at one end to positive adjustment at the other end. Where a child is on this spectrum depends on … Continue reading →

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Why does my child chew their clothes?

Posted on March 16, 2022 by colbypearce

Chewing their clothes is not necessarily evidence of wilful damage or a lack of respect. For many children it is an exaggeration of a very natural way in which they regulate their nervous system. As such, it is better conceptualised … Continue reading →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Attachment, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why does my child follow me to the bathroom?

Posted on March 14, 2022 by colbypearce

Those who take care of children who are recovering from a tough start to life commonly report that the child in their care follows them to the bathroom, and becomes unreasonably distressed when prevented from doing so. In my experience … Continue reading →

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What I would have birth parents hear after the removal of their child

Posted on March 6, 2022 by colbypearce

Twenty seven years speaking to children and young people (and care experienced adults) who have been removed from the care of their birth parents due to grossly inadequate care and maltreatment has left me with deep concerns about the impact of parental separation and loss on the developing child, and the capacity for alternate care and therapeutic supports alone to compensate for this. (read more at link) Continue reading →

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What does my child’s recovery from early trauma look like?

Posted on February 27, 2022 by colbypearce

Anyone who has played Spotto (Spot the yellow car) with children knows that there are many more yellow cars on the road than you typically notice when driving. Similarly, when playing I Spy there are many more things starting with … Continue reading →

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