Trauma and Brain Development

This course will support professionals to better connect and engage with an individual that has experienced trauma, gaining an insight into a person's journey, the trauma suffered and the impact on brain development. Science now tells us that trauma can be experienced in Utero, which immediately affects brain development. Further trauma in early years, continues to have a profound effect on normal brain development, which will then determine a child's behaviour, ability to regulate, connect and trust. In this course we will explore trauma and insecure attachments, the impact on the brain and how we as professionals can use this knowledge to compassionately respond to the children we are working with. 

Kellie Strachan has a Bsc (Hons) degree and Diploma in Social Work, both gained at Huddersfield University in England. Whilst Kellie obtained her professional qualifications in England, she has primarily practiced as a social worker in Scotland. Her role upon graduating and moving to Scotland involved her working with men who presented serious risk of harm to the community, facilitating workshops and cognitive behavioural groupwork programs. She then went on to work in front line child protection before joining Grampian Police as a social worker, where she undertook a newly created role for the City of Aberdeen. Within this role, Kellie introduced initiatives and projects to help reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour, projects that received awards and are still very active today.  

Kellie also worked as a centre manager for the largest cancer charity in the North East of Scotland, during which time she supported children and their families living with cancer. For many children, this involved the loss of a parent, which caused significant trauma, loss and grief, and for many parents, supporting them to manage their own grief as well as their children's. Kellie supported the children and adults that she came into contact with by facilitating specific therapeutic groupwork programs and one to one individual support.  Kellie has also spent time living in Australia, spending time outside the social work profession, gathering a broader perspective on life.