Impact of Trauma on Childhood Development & Promoting Secure Attachments

Early experiences shape how children grow, learn, and relate to the world around them. This training offers a clear and accessible introduction to Attachment Theory, childhood development, and the impact of trauma on the developing child.

We will explore how childhood development unfolds across key developmental domains and stages, including the expected processes and achievements that support healthy emotional, social, and cognitive growth. The session will then focus on attachment — what it is, why it matters, and how attachment styles develop and show up in children’s behaviour and relationships.

The training will also examine childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), exploring how abuse and neglect can affect the developing brain and disrupt typical developmental pathways. Participants will gain insight into how trauma shapes behaviour, emotional regulation, and learning.

Finally, the training will focus on what helps — looking at interventions for both the individual child and the systems around them. From creating safety and emotional containment to supporting reprocessing and meaning-making of traumatic experiences, this session will highlight practical, attachment-informed approaches that promote healing and development.