Why understanding the impact of children’s trauma makes them safer

• 12 April 2016
• Jane Evans
• no comments

We take for granted that anyone working with children must attend Safeguarding Training to understand the signs, indications and procedures to protect all children from abuse. Likewise First Aid Training is essential too but what about training to understand the impact of childhood trauma and what it does to a child?

Should this be the 3rd part of essential training triangle for anyone who is paid to, or has a voluntary role in the lives of children? I would whole-heartedly say YES!

Here is why:

• there is NO shared understanding about what childhood trauma is which is dangerous
• childhood trauma at a low level is more common than many realise yet has an impact in all areas of a child’s development
• childhood trauma makes children more vulnerable to manipulation from adults, especially those looking to sexually abuse and exploit them
• children are less able to tell adults what happens in daily life if they are traumatised which makes them vulnerable
• living with trauma means understanding and expressing emotions is nearly impossible which makes them vulnerable
• they are both hypersensitive and also struggle to trust their instincts which makes them vulnerable

All these things make them prime targets of anyone looking for a child to sexually abuse and exploit. We need to view safeguarding through the lens of childhood trauma, therefore we MUST have a good working understanding of what it means and how it presents in a child’s physical appearance and not JUST their behaviour.

To complete and maintain your essential training triangle, join Mike Armiger and Me in Cardiff for our Masterclass in Working with Children, Young People, Parents and Carers Impacted by Trauma on May 13th.