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Best practice: Supporting children affected by trauma - In hiding

How can early years staff support and nurture children in their settings affected by trauma and abuse? By Nicole Weinstein
Different children express their reactions to trauma in different ways
Different children express their reactions to trauma in different ways

Trauma in early life can have a lasting impact on a child’s development, their personality and their ability to form healthy relationships. Recent research from Anna Freud Centre revealed that 69 per cent of nursery staff said they had experienced working with babies or children affected by trauma or abuse – and 71 per cent had worked with children affected by domestic violence.

Being aware of the signs of trauma in a baby or young child could make a difference to the way that child experiences the world in the future.

Dr Sheila Redfern, consultant clinical psychologist and head of the family trauma department at the Anna Freud Centre, says, ‘We know that the long-term consequences of a disruption to that early attachment relationship has a profound impact on the relationships the child will have for the rest of their life, which is why it’s so important to recognise the early signs of relational trauma and to try and do whatever you can in your work setting to address it.’

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