Category Archives: trauma informed

Sam’s Story

Hello. I developed the video, below, and the story that accompanies it, to help young people, and adults who interact with them, to better understand the impact of attachment trauma and their development and approach to life and relationships. I … Continue reading

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Redundancy as a goal of trauma-focused psychotherapy

When you take on the psychotherapy role with a child or young person who is recovering from as tough start to life in out-of-home care, there is a real possibility that you will become the most consistent and enduring adult … Continue reading

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What’s in a name? A Short Introduction to Attachment and Attachment Disorder

What’s in a name? The image above was taken six years ago. Sadly, I don’t look quite the same these days! I am photographed, here, with the second edition (published December 2016) of one of my books, which was first … Continue reading

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Why do my child’s support professionals say that behaviour management doesn’t work?

Conventional responses to behaviours of concern, such as reward and punishment strategies, are widely considered to be ineffective in addressing the complex and challenging behaviours exhibited by children and young people who have experienced complex, relational, or early/developmental trauma. This … Continue reading

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Removal from family: An enduring sensitivity

The decision to remove a child or young person from the care of their birth parents is a grave one that confronts child protection authorities daily. Removal occurs with the intention of protecting the child from harm and securing their … Continue reading

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Child welfare intervention outcomes: what does trust in the accessibility and responsiveness of adults look like?

In this the final blog of the series, I will present what I think functional learning about the accessibility and responsiveness of adults in a caregiving role for needs provision looks like. I recommend that the reader also take a … Continue reading

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

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

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What attachment security looks like

In the first blog of this series about child welfare intervention outcomes, I wrote about the importance of knowing, and being able to say, what progress toward successful outcomes looks like. In this second blog of the series, I will … Continue reading

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The Practitioner Scientist in Child Welfare

Some know that while attaining my post-graduate qualifications in Psychology I worked for five years as a Research Officer in the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). During this period I worked closely with Psychiatry staff who were … Continue reading

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Practice alignment: How important is it in child welfare?

A child leaves their placement to attend school, where acceptance and belonging are contingent on adhering to the school’s behaviour expectations. They leave school to go to sports practice, where acceptance and belonging are contingent on being good enough to … Continue reading

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