Trauma Responsive Practice with Children

Applying the knowledge of trauma to our practice with children

Developmental (or relational) trauma has a significant impact on the developing brain, children’s behaviour and how they experience relationships. It can result in children experiencing developmental delays and significant difficulties regulating their emotions, adapting their behaviour and being attuned to social exchanges.

This can lead to a fundamental challenge for children to experience safety and engage in relational exchanges that support them. The widespread impact of these experiences of trauma has profound implications for how carers, practitioners, programs, and systems support children.

These children need adults and systems that understand the impact of their trauma experiences on their development and functioning. With understanding, adults and systems can be more effective in the support they provide children to heal.

This two-hour workshop provides participants with an opportunity to review the foundational knowledge of complex developmental trauma and a conceptual trauma-responsive practice framework to facilitate the application of this knowledge to work across multiple contexts. This framework will then be used to explore specific strategies that participants can use in their own practice.

Melissa Powney - Australian Childhood Foundation

Mel is a therapeutic specialist, qualified in developmental trauma and social work. She has over ten years of experience providing trauma-responsive practice; including assessment, advocacy and support to children, young people and their families. She has experience in education, out-of-home care, child and adolescent mental health and family violence settings.

Mel has worked extensively with schools and education systems around Australia, including whole-school trauma-responsive practice and working with remote schools in South Australia.