Explore resources to help you to learn how experiences such as neglect, abuse, and prenatal trauma can shape a child’s needs, and discover ways to support their healing and development.
These free resources showcase some of the content available to CATCH members, To access our full library of resources, tools, and support, become a CATCH member through your agency or buy an individual membership.
This is a clip from the webinar, in which Dr Natalie Briant talks through a range of ways that children may present trauma symptoms – from the obvious to the less obvious. She also looks at strategies to help support your child and briefly comments on how to approach this area with school.
“Brilliant. Really easy to follow and understand. A lot of very useful information to know about.” – Hub member
In this webinar Matt discusses the impact of early negative experiences and some of the biological legacies that can follow from that, with a particular focus on the way in which cortisol is used to describe that legacy. He also talks about when it is helpful to think about ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) when parenting a child and when it isn’t.
“Such a wonderful, essential and key component to the wellbeing of adopted children/YP. And I learnt so much. Thank you very much.” – Hub member
This is a clip from the webinar, in which Dr Lauren Topper (Clinical Psychologist) provides a deeper understanding of the complex role of shame within attachment. She covers what shame is, the reasons behind shame and the impact that it can have both on children and on parents and carers. By understanding and identifying shame, this can help to mitigate shame and strengthen parent-child connections.
“As a social worker, I highly recommend this webinar to all adopters and prospective adopters. Dr Topper provides a really engaging presentation with many case examples to support parents to understand the emotional needs of children who have experienced trauma.” – Hub member
Children who have experienced adversity need to feel safe before they can build trusting relationships and fully engage in learning. This video gives an introduction to “the science of safety”, describing how the nervous system responds to stress through fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Using Polyvagal Theory, the video also illustrates the different states your body goes through and highlights how these reactions are protecting your body. You will learn how to recognise these feelings and how to use simple strategies to help your body get back to feeling safe and calm.
Dr Lauren Topper (Clinical Psychologist) explores how to build connection and improve communication with your child/ren to help you enjoy the positives of the teenage years and better navigate the challenges. Lauren covers attachment styles, the impact of trauma and emotional regulation strategies.
Amanda Phelan (Panda), BB4K Senior Support Worker at PACT, looks specifically at the impact domestic abuse has on children. Please be aware this is a sensitive issue and some of the content/videos may be upsetting for some.
Dr Eleanor McCartney, medical advisor for PACT, IAC, Diagrama and Together Trust, covers a child’s in-utero experiences and how this impacts upon a child’s later presentation. She discusses the potential impacts of exposure to domestic violence, neglect, poor maternal nutrition, maternal ill health, drugs and alcohol.
Dr Lauren Topper (Clinical Psychologist) explores the concept of regressive behaviours in children who have experienced trauma, through an attachment focused lens. Stress and trauma can have a significant impact on children’s developmental progression and emotional well-being. Lauren outlines some ideas regarding what may be happening for children with developmental trauma when faced with current stressors.
This video, from UK Trauma Council, is a general introduction to what happens in the brain after children face traumatic experiences in childhood, like abuse and neglect.