Understanding Childhood Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences

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  • Length: 60 minutes

Course Overview

Many children in foster or adoptive care carry hidden wounds. Trauma from abuse, neglect, or instability can shape how they see the world...and how they behave in it. You might see big reactions to small changes, aggression that seems sudden, or total emotional shutdowns. It’s not “bad behaviour.” It’s survival.

This course helps you understand what trauma really is, how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect brain development, and why some children respond with fight, flight or freeze. Most importantly, it gives you practical, real-life strategies to support your child in moments of distress, without shame or blame.

Whether you're a foster carer, adoptive parent, or simply someone supporting a child with trauma, this course will help you respond with confidence, curiosity over correction, and the kind of calm that helps children heal.

You won’t need a notepad, just a warm drink and a willingness to see behaviour differently.

If you're on our Free plan, you can buy the course if you wish.

If you're on any other plan, this course is included in your subscription. 

If you decide to join our Paid plan, you'll start off with a 3-day trial before you are charged. You can complete this course during that period and download your certificate.

Parents and Carers Love Us  

Simple, straightforward and PACE based advice. All of the scenarios were so relatable. Resources are brilliant and will be so useful, without being tricky or expensive to source. I love the modelled 'script' approach which provides useful phrases when things escalate. 
SUE
It was very interesting. I will definitely use the cards.
KELLY

Certification Included

If you're a foster carer or other professional working with children, this certificate is a record of your Continuous Professional Development (CPD). 

CPD Minutes: 60
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How This Course Meets the UK's National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services

What's in the course?

below are the sources we used to help us create this course

Recommended Reading and Resources

"Fight, flight, freeze, and fibbing: Lying as a trauma-based behaviour" by Noel Macnamara

Lying isn’t always about deception—it can be a survival mechanism. The article delves into the idea that, beyond the usual fight, flight, or freeze responses, there’s a fourth F: fibbing. For traumatised children, lying isn’t about mischief. It’s about fear. A shield against danger. A way to stay safe.

"5 Reasons Why Children with Complex Trauma Lie" by Stable Moments

Lying, for children with complex trauma, isn’t about deception—it’s about survival. A shield against punishment. A way to control an unpredictable world. Sometimes, reality itself is blurred. The article explores how trauma rewires truth, making lying less a choice and more a reflex, born from fear, not dishonesty.

"AST A Guide to Allegations" by Foster Talk

Allegations—every foster carer’s worst nightmare. The article unpacks why they happen, from trauma to misplaced hopes, and how even false claims can upend lives. It urges carers to document everything, know the system, and seek support. Because in fostering, even the best intentions can land you in murky waters.

"How to Respond When Our Children's Memories are Wrong" by Debbie Ausburn

Children’s memories can be astonishingly wrong—yet utterly real to them. The article explores why this happens, urging parents to respond with empathy, not correction. It’s not lying, just how the brain works. Instead of arguing facts, the key is understanding: in memory, truth is often stranger than fiction.

"What Drives False Memories in Psychopathology? A Case for Associative Activation" by Henry Otgaar et al.

Trauma reshapes memory, sometimes distorting it. The study explores how PTSD, depression, and past trauma make people more susceptible to false memories—especially emotional ones. Neutral facts? Less so. The implications are vast, from therapy to the courtroom, where memory isn’t just unreliable—it’s malleable, bending under the weight of experience.

"Maltreatment increases spontaneous false memories but decreases suggestion‐induced false memories in children" by Henry Otgaar et al.

Maltreated children: paradoxically, they conjure more false memories spontaneously yet resist suggestion-induced ones. This study reveals that trauma's shadow warps memory's fabric, making the mind both a trickster and a fortress. In the courtroom, such nuances can tilt the scales of justice.

"Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy: Building Trust in Our Relationships with Children" by Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition

Building trust with traumatized children requires a PACE approach: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy. This method fosters safety and connection, essential for healing. Traditional parenting often falls short with these children; instead, embracing PACE offers a compassionate path to understanding and bonding. 

"PACE: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Supporting Children and Young People" by  Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

​Children's misbehaviours often mask deeper needs. The PACE approach—Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy—guides caregivers to connect and heal. By embracing these principles, we foster trust and understanding, transforming challenges into opportunities for deeper connection.
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