Early Trauma and the Importance of Early Relationships

Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH)

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.20737
In this podcast, we are joined by Sally Hogg, Deputy CEO at the Parent Infant Foundation, to discuss early trauma and the importance of early relationships.
To set the scene, Sally starts by providing details about the 1001 days movement, which she coordinates, and details what it is about the first 1001 days of a child’s life that is so critical.
Sally discusses the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on mental and physical health and explores why we should be especially concerned about adversity that occurs early in a child’s life.
Sally talks about how early trauma impacts emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and social functioning, as well as tells us more about the importance of nurturing parent/infant relationships, and how its presence can help a child to be more resilient to negative events.
Sally then discusses how the relationship between babies and their parents can be strengthened, what her message is to CAMH professionals in terms of the role they can play, and her message to policymakers in terms of what they should be doing.
Furthermore, Sally shares her tips on how to reach those parents where there is disorganised attachment, who don’t access services, and how to signpost those families to services.