Those responsible for children in care and those care-experienced need to be at the cutting edge, ready to lead progressive schools into attachment-aware, trauma-responsive policy and practice (AATR). Based on the latest research in child development, attachment, and neuroscience, this course supports those providing advices, leading groups, managing transitions, facilitating PEPs and LAC reviews, so that all those who have suffered Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have every opportunity possible to recover and function well at home, in their schools, and out and about in their local communities. AATR support facilitates inclusion on every level.

This specialist 7-day course is designed to increase confidence and skill in communicating well on behalf of children and young people in care or care-experienced, who are often communicating distress through their behaviours.

The course will cover a lot of relevant and up-to-date content such as what ACEs are, what recovery from ACEs looks like, what toxic stress can do to both bodies and minds, intersubjectivity theory when there has been disruption, and polyvagal theory, in relation to how our nervous systems function and what happens when
things go wrong. We will be considering how human beings function best by respecting biology. We will do this by following the neurosequential model recommended by Dr Bruce Perry (child trauma expert) – Regulate, Relate, and Reason.

We will also be adding in the importance of Repair as these children and young people have toxic shame in the mix and so will need differentiated support for this. The course will challenge who we are, how we are, and what we do, by teaching how to integrate Theraplay, Sensory Attachment Interventions (SAI) and Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP) informed practice as part of their advocacy work. The themes for each day are outlined below:

Week 1: The Human Bridge Towards Recovery
Week 2: The Impact of Toxic Stress
Week 3: The Art of Regulation
Week 4: The impact of Toxic Shame
Week 5: Relating Well
Week 6: Reasoning in the Face of Developmental Trauma
Week 7: Reclaiming Discipline

The days are experiential, as well as providing a theoretical background. There is reading to do and some tasks to try out in between sessions. Day 7 contains a written assessment to ensure all of the team are ready to advocate for children and young people on their caseload. Individuals are then invited to join our AATR
Network. The days are spread out across a year and run by an experienced, skilled practitioner working in the specialist area of trauma.