Children in care often display behaviours of distress that challenge those around them. While our immediate thought may be to correct the behaviour, therapeutic parenting teaches us to connect first.

Children in care often struggle to trust adults. Relational trauma leaves them wary of closeness, leading to what we call 'blocked trust'. At the same time, carers can experience 'blocked care', the emotional exhaustion and detachment that can come from repeated rejection or challenging behaviour.

Working with children in care can be both rewarding and challenging. Many have experienced early adversity, loss or trauma, which shapes how they respond to adults and the world around them. Therapeutic parenting provides carers, staff and leaders with a relational framework to support recovery.

PACE, developed by Dan Hughes and a corner stone of Dyadic Developmental Practice, is one of the most effective approaches for working with children who’ve experienced relational trauma.