Category Archives: Parenting

Achieving best outcomes from care

Posted on September 7, 2022 by colbypearce

Twenty-seven years continuous work in child protection and child welfare, including ongoing work with young adults who have transitioned from Care, has taught me some extremely valuable lessons about long-term outcomes of a childhood spent in State Care. In particular, … Continue reading →

Posted in Attachment, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, Therapy, trauma informed, trauma informed care, Trauma Informed Schools | Tagged childprotection, childwelfare, childwelfareleadership, fostercare, kinshipcare, parenting, psychology, socialcare, socialwork, teachers, traumainformed, traumainformedschools | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Attachment, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed, trauma informed care | Tagged attachment, attachment theory, Child Protection, child welfare, child welfare leadership, fostercare, kinshipcare, Social Care, social care worker, therapeutic care, trauma informed | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting | Tagged children's sleep, foster carer, fostering, kinship carer, parent, parenting, psychology, resilience, sleep, trauma informed, wellbeing | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Attachment, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed, trauma informed care | Tagged adoption, Child Protection, child welfare, child welfare leadership, foster care, kinship care, Social Care, socialwork, therapeutic care, trauma informed | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed care | Tagged adoption, childprotection, childwelfare, fostercare, kinshipcare, parenting, socialwork, trauma informed | Leave a comment

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 attachment, childprotection, childwelfare, educator, fostercare, kinshipcare, parenting, psychology, socialcare, teacher, traumainformed | Leave a 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 →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed, trauma informed care | Tagged adoption, attachment, attachment theory, Child Protection, child welfare, fostercare, kinshipcare, parenting, psychology, socialcare, socialwork, traumainformed | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Attachment, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed | Tagged attachment, Attachment Disorder, attachment theory, child development, Child Protection, child welfare, fostercare, kinshipcare | Leave a comment

Why does my child lie?

Posted on February 22, 2022 by colbypearce

Lying is not necessarily evidence of a character flaw or lack of connection with reality. Children and young people who are recovering from a tough start to life due to abuse and neglect lie for self-protection. Such is their profound … Continue reading →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed | Tagged adoption, childwelfare, childwelfareleadership, counsellor, educator, fostercare, kinshipcare, parenting, psychologist, psychotherapist, socialcare, socialworker, teacher, traumainformed | 1 Comment

Why does my child smile when I am angry?

Posted on February 22, 2022 by colbypearce

Smiling when you are angry is not necessarily a sign that the child or young person in your care is feeling self-satisfied and smug. Many children and young people who are recovering from a tough start to life due to abuse and neglect are unsettled by heightened emotion in adults. For them, it is associated with something bad happening. Continue reading →

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, trauma informed | Tagged adoption, attachmenttheory, childwelfare, fostercare, kinshipcare, parenting, psychology, socialcare, traumainformed | 2 Comments

Disclaimer: While great care is taken to ensure that the advice on this site is widely applicable and based on sound psychological science, it may not suit the individual circumstances of all visitors. If you have any concerns about applicability to your circumstances, please consult a qualified professional near to you.
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