Therapy & Clinical Services
Traumatic experiences in childhood can have a direct neurobiological impact on a young developing brain, particularly emotional regulation. The nature of the impact is different from the trauma experienced by a healthy adult brain.
For this reason, therapeutic care is delivered only by way of trauma-informed responses to children and families.
Our approach to therapeutic care for children and young people
Children who have endured ‘complex’ trauma which is ongoing and interpersonal, such as physical and emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and/or neglect, can often suffer long-lasting effects that are expressed in many facets of their lives.
As they grow older, these children have difficulty identifying and managing their emotions and behaviours. They can experience persistent anger, anxiety or depression and other behavioural and mental health challenges.
Our therapeutic care is achieved through positive, safe, healing relationships and experiences, informed by a sound understanding of childhood trauma, disrupted attachment and individual developmental needs.
The first step for our therapeutic caregivers is to support children and young people to feel safe. From there CASPA provides creative therapeutic interactions, involving opportunities to express, reflect, reframe and integrate experiences of trauma and disrupted attachment. The process involves focusing on skills such as distress tolerance, emotional regulation, capacity to trust and integration within the community.
Our Therapeutic Framework
Our Therapeutic Framework includes a range of evidence-based approaches to best meet the varied, complex and ever-changing needs of individual children and young people, who are included in decisions about their placement, care, interventions, education and wellbeing.
Our caregivers, supported by a team of clinical professionals, form a key role in young people’s lives, allowing therapeutic strategies to be applied on a moment-to-moment basis and throughout daily interactions and challenges.
When we offer safe, reliable and responsive relationships to children with complex needs, we provide them with vital opportunities to build skills and to develop a positive sense of self.
