Building Trust and Connection with Children - A Trauma-Informed Approach using the PACE model (FPS-CPD) (July2025)

Capability Levels: Evolving and Established

Creating safe relational experiences is an essential foundation of trauma-informed practice. The PACE approach, developed by Dr Dan Hughes as part of his Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy model, provides a practical and developmentally-sensitive framework for practitioners seeking to build their therapeutic skills with children and young people. Participants in this workshop will be challenged to reflect on the prevailing values and beliefs about how we address challenging behaviours and learn relational strategies that focus on building trust and connection as a priority.

Dr Hughes’ has endorsed ThinkWell Consultancy delivering training on his PACE approach.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Identify how abuse and neglect impact children and young people’s ability to engage in trusting relationships, and the consequences for adults involved in their care and support
• Identify and manage one’s own values and assumptions in relation to children and young people, behaviour and discipline, and implications for practice
• Gain a detailed understanding of each element of Dan Hughes’ PACE approach and how to apply them in interactions with children and young people

Event Structure:

Introduction (10 minutes)

Learning Session 1: The impact of trauma on relational development (30 mins)

• How healthy relational neurobiology forms

• How trauma (abuse, neglect, family violence) can impact on the development of relational templates

• How a child’s experiences of trauma can lead to blocked trust and blocked care dynamics

Learning Activity: Small group discussion and feedback

Learning Session 2: What values and beliefs underpin responses to children with challenging behaviours? (40 mins)

• Individual reflective activity

• Exploring common trauma-based behaviours in children

• Challenging prevailing behavioural beliefs about punishment and consequences

• Why connection before correction is critical to trauma-informed practice

Learning Session 3: The first 2 elements of PACE: Playfulness and Acceptance (35 mins)

• Presenter overview of Playfulness and Acceptance

Learning Activity: Group discussion: review individual reflective activity and identify responses using Acceptance

Learning Session 4: The next 2 elements of PACE: Curiosity and Empathy (35 mins)

• Presenter overview of Curiosity and Empathy

Learning Activity: Group activity using case scenario

Q&A and Conclusion

Who should attend?

This workshop is designed for experienced social workers seeking to build their knowledge and skills in trauma-informed, therapeutic approaches with children and young people. Target participants include those working directly with children and young people, as well as those supporting caregivers and teachers interacting with children and young people.

This Workshop is not recorded, however, you will have access to materials and resources on AASW Online Learning for 4 weeks after the completion of the workshop.

AASW Credentials: Mental Health (FPS), Clinical SW

FPS skills training will be incorporated in this workshop and falls under e.i Skills Training of Medicare schedule (https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=note&q=MN.7.4&qt=noteID&criteria=MN%2E7%2E4)

In the event of an audit, it is the member’s responsibility to clearly demonstrate how this FPS training is relevant to the delivery of FPS in their specific work context.