This trauma-informed care training for early years practitioners builds a deep understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) — traumatic events such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence or parental substance misuse that can have profound and lasting effects on a child’s life. The course guides you through what ACEs are, how common they are, and how adversity shapes children’s brains, behaviour and development.
For your setting, this knowledge is genuinely protective. Early years settings are uniquely placed to be a positive, stabilising presence for children who have experienced adversity, and practitioners who understand trauma can respond to challenging behaviour with insight rather than frustration — creating the safe, supportive environment these children need most.
What you’ll learn
- What ACEs are, the different types, and how prevalent they are
- The physical, emotional and cognitive effects of ACEs on children’s development
- The link between childhood adversity and long-term health outcomes
- How to recognise the signs that a child may have experienced adversity
- The principles of trauma-informed care and how to apply them in your setting
- How to create a safe, supportive environment for children who have experienced trauma
- Strategies and activities that nurture resilience and promote healing
- How to communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues, parents and guardians
Who this course is for
The course is designed for early years practitioners, key persons, nursery managers, childminders, parents and caregivers, and students of early childhood education — anyone who wants to take a trauma-informed approach and build resilience in vulnerable children.
Why this training matters
ACEs are linked to long-term health outcomes, and their effects reach into every corner of a child’s development. Your team can be a powerful protective factor: understanding trauma-informed practice helps practitioners build the protective relationships and environments that reduce the long-term impact of adversity, and connects your setting to the wider community resources and support networks available for affected children.
How the course works
The course is delivered fully online with media-rich content and voiceovers, structured to take you from understanding ACEs through to applying trauma-informed care in day-to-day practice. You can learn at your own pace, on any device.
Your certificate
On successful completion you will receive a certificate of completion recognising your understanding of ACEs and trauma-informed care — useful evidence of professional development for compliance and Ofsted audit. National Nursery Training is an NFAQ-accredited provider.
