If you want to find out more there are a number of therapeutic parenting books available. Naish’s books A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting – Strategies and Solutions, and Therapeutic Parenting in a Nutshell: Positives and Pitfalls are go-to publications for parents of children with attachment difficulties or children who have experienced childhood trauma. Both offer practical tips, advice and techniques on therapeutic parenting. The Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma’s November 2021 conference attracted parents and professionals from around the country.

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting: Strategies and Solutions

Playfulness: creating an environment of lightness and interest when communicating; for example, using a light tone when telling a story and expressing fun and joy over being stern or irritated But she advises learning to differentiate between what is normal childhood curiousity and what is clearly entirely improper knowledge. The aim of the PST is to strengthen stability within our foster families through crisis intervention and planned, time-limited, therapeutic support. We encourage a multi-agency approach, providing specialised support at the right time. This legally inaccurate advice creates anxieties and fear, feelings which then impact on how well the carers perform during the communication phase of these incidents.As NATP expert Jane Mitchell explains, they are rightly furious with those responsible for the abuse their child must have suffered in an earlier existence.

Sarah Naish - Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma

As a result, the progress and stability of our foster families is monitored by regular review meetings, so there is the opportunity to respond to difficulties and concerns as they arise. Read more about the PST here. Therapeutic parenting training for carers Respond with empathy using the PACE model (playfulness to connect and diffuse a situation, acceptance of the child whilst not accepting of aggression, curiosity to detect your child’s need, all steeped in empathy).​ Therapeutic Parenting uses firm but fair boundaries and routines to aid the development of new neural pathways in the brain so children may gain trust in adults. And so their lower brain (survival brain) may connect with their higher brain (prefrontal cortex/thinking brain) so they can link cause and effect. While they can be hard-won, the benefits are hugely valuable to both children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and their parents and carers. With patience, support and work the process can result, says Hughes, in ‘greater open communications and conflicts more easily resolved, leading to more shared interests and values and stronger relationships.’ Therapeutic parenting is often regarded as being exclusively for traumatised children who have nearly always been in care, fostered or adopted. But this isn’t always the case.Will learned patterns of behaviour make re-parenting and learning new cultural norms an uphill battle?

Meet the Team - TRUE Fostering Meet the Team - TRUE Fostering

Therapeutic parenting also works for securely attached children; in fact, it often works better,’ says Jefferies. So, even if a child is securely attached [which means born to loving parents] ‘they may have been exposed to trauma at a very young age or in the womb [usually from the second or third month of pregnancy] if the parent has suffered a trauma, were highly stressed, or abused alcohol or drugs.’ When small children display signs of sexualised behaviour, foster and adoptive parents find it repugnant.We are working with the National Association of Therapeutic Parents to deliver ‘open’ courses in Violence Management at Home. Therapeutic parenting offers invaluable advantages to children. By following this method a ‘child is likely to feel safe and supported while being more open to new learning and accepting the guidance and direction of the parents,’ explains Hughes. Hughes’ words are echoed by Jefferies, who states that therapeutic parenting enables children ‘to self-regulate and develop an understanding of their behaviours and ultimately form secure attachments which will, ultimately, minimise the impact of childhood trauma.’

Therapeutic parenting: Experts reveals the benefits of Therapeutic parenting: Experts reveals the benefits of

What supports our children to heal and grow is a safe and healthy attachment bond with a care giver who offers them a safe base from where they can go and explore the world.

PACE parenting is not a strategy or a tool, it’s a way of being. It encourages you to therapeutically engage in conversation with your child. Billed as “your roadmap of strategies through to sanity”, reflected the difficulties that come with parenting traumatised children as well as the need for self-care to build the resilience required to keep going. As Jane explains, this behaviour is a symptom of the child’s sense of overwhelm triggered by traumatic memories. They’re not conscious of what they’re doing and parents need to put into place careful plans and strategies to cope. This could well be a repeat of the survival mechanism that served them well during times of extreme stress before they joined your family. If you are parenting a traumatized child you may be aware that they seem to go into a trance and be completely unaware of what is happening around them.