International Childhood Trauma Conference

It was a privilege for Somerville staff to attend the 2016 International Childhood Trauma Conference in Melbourne recently. This biannual conference is run by the Australian Childhood Foundation – their vision being that “all children are safe from the trauma of abuse, violence and neglect.”

The conference highlighted key innovations around supporting and protecting vulnerable and traumatised children, young people and the adults who look after them. The theme was “Tracing new developments in relational, body-oriented and brain-based approaches to recovery and change.”

Leading speakers from America, Australia, Italy and beyond provided incredible insight into innovative therapeutic approaches for children, young people and families. There was a strong focus on the neuropsychology of trauma, which applies well to Somerville’s Family Services trauma-informed approach.

The conference expanded on Somerville’s current knowledge and research, and will be applied in gaps we’ve identified within the Child and Family Support sector. This will greatly enhance the support and care we can provide to children, individuals and families. Find out more about who spoke at childtraumaconf.org