Brief Thoughts on Developmental Trauma

An interest of mine at the moment is the idea of 'developmental trauma'. Practitioners and researchers are attempting to include developmental trauma in the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association. I recently read a brilliant article about this by Mary Sykes Wylie which appeared in the Psychotherapy Networker as "The Long Shadow of Trauma". Wylie writes about the impact of early trauma on later life; but she also writes a fascinating piece about the importance of research in changing the minds of the medical establishment.

Developmental Trauma is the phrase used to describe a cluster of symptoms that result from early experiences of trauma, and in particular abuse and neglect. These experiences leave their mark on brain development (see, for example, this article in Science Daily or this one in New Scientist) and on the child's psychological, emotional, social and moral development. Indeed a child's ability to regulate their emotions and manage their behaviour will be impaired, leaving them vulnerable to alcohol and drug misuse, risk taking, violence, attachment problems and long-term health problems. In my current work as a counsellor I see the signs of developmental trauma; but it was as a probation worker and a youth justice worker, that I saw most clearly the negative impact of early neglect and abuse on the lives of individuals.

Links

Adverse Childhood Experiences Study referred to in the The Long Shadow of Trauma article, this mammoth study is demonstrating the long-term impact of early trauma.

Bessel Van der Kolk's Trauma Centre , website of one of the world's leading experts on post-traumatic stress and including numerous links to other resources

The Social Work Policy Institute has some good research pages on childhood trauma and recovery

National Child Trauma Stress Network, an excellent source of information and statistics about the impact of early abuse and neglect

Circles of Support and Accountability

Hanvey, S., Philpot, T. and Wilson, C. (2011) A Community Based Approach to the Reduction of Sexual Reoffending: Circles of Support and Accountability, London, Jessica Kingsley

This book introduces readers to a new and innovative approach to the management of sexual offenders in the community - Circles of Support and Accountability. It will appeal chiefly to those who have a professional interest in the supervision of sexual offenders; but it also provides a fascinating read for anyone interested in safeguarding children and adults at risk of sexual aggression.

The first Circle was set up in Canada in 1994 to manage a sexual offender released from prison without statutory supervision. In response to community concerns a group of volunteers gathered round the offender to support his rehabilitation, monitor his behaviour and help him to maintain an offence free lifestyle. The experiment was successful and the model was imported into the UK where it has been tested and developed.

The book begins with a history of the Circles approach, rooted in ideas of restorative justice. This is followed by chapters on sexual offending and the criminal justice framework built to manage sexual offenders in the UK. It’s clear that Circles can complement the resettlement work done by statutory agencies, offering emotional support and practical help at a time when offenders are at increased risk of reoffending. The role of the circle’s volunteers is not simply to support the offender; trained and risk aware, they monitor the offender for signs of increasing risk, report any concerns to statutory services and hold accountable the offender’s promise of “No more victims”.

At the heart of the book are two fascinating chapters containing interviews with sexual offenders and volunteers. Both groups describe their life experiences and the benefits that each derives from being part of a circle. The striking difference between the two groups is the amount of trauma experienced in early life by the offenders. The book goes on to evaluate the effectiveness of Circles, with preliminary results suggesting a very positive effect on reoffending rates.

The final chapter criticises the press for demonising sex offenders and strengthening the public’s mistaken perception that sex offenders are ‘monsters’ and ‘strangers’ that our children must simply avoid to stay safe. In fact most sexual offences are committed by trusted family members, friends and neighbours. The book’s positive message is that whilst sexual offending takes place within the community and causes much harm, the community can respond and sexual offenders can be successfully managed by the communities in which they live. The book is a highly readable, informative and welcome addition to the literature on sex offending, safeguarding and public policy.

This book review appeared in Therapy Today (December, 2011)

A "Victim Letter" - the Start of a Process

The BBC News Website have a story here about a young burglar, under the supervision of the Youth Offending Team and required to write a remorseful letter to his victims. The young person does write a letter but instead of saying sorry, he blames the victim for leaving open the kitchen window, living in a high crime area and not closing the living room curtains. His last sentence is, "But anyways I don't feel sorry for you and I'm not going to show any sympathy or remorse".

The police released this letter to the public as a warning for householders to close their curtains. I would imagine they did this without consulting the Youth Offending Team or the Probation Service. The police often have their own agenda in these matters and don't see how their actions actually undermine public confidence in the Criminal Justice System. As a result we have a number of agencies rushing to defend the principles of restorative justice and someone from the Ministry of Justice providing a bland statement on the effectiveness of Intensive Supervision.

Of course restorative justice is only meaningful if the offender feels and expresses genuine remorse. If that happens then the results can be very positive for the victims and the offender. This type of response was never going to be sent to any victims, rather it is the beginning of a process in which the views expressed in the letter can be challenged and changed. If I was working with this young offender I would thank him for his honesty; I would then begin the process of confronting the beliefs and values that underpin the thoughts expressed in the letter. This young man (and I am assuming it is a young man) has no empathy for the victim, takes no responsibility for his actions and feels no remorse. It's the job of the Youth Offending Team to address those deficits. No need for outrage, just good probation work!