Children’s Brain Development, Healing and the Role of Scotland’s Systems

Some excerpts taken from feedback from the Chair of SAIA - Edwina Grant on a seminar addressed by Dr Bruce Perry:

Did you know brains are social – thriving on positive relationships, shared meaning and reciprocity?

On the 27th May The New Centre (Scotland’s New Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children incorporating SIRCC) in partnership with LACSIG (Looked After Children Strategic Implementation Group) hosted an inspirational and aspirational event. Dr Bruce Perry addressed an invited audience of professionals and Scottish Government representatives involved with meeting the needs of Scottish children and families.  Paul Gilroy (Head of Service CrossReach Residential Schools) and other staff from CrossReach were amongst the delegates.

This was an information-packed event, rich in practice implications with respect to meeting the needs of Scotland’s children and families.
 
The essence of Bruce Perry’s message was clear and evidence-based.  In supporting all children, and particularly in healing those who have faced adversity, we need to consider as a first base the architecture of the brain.
 
Bruce Perry’s research suggests poor outcomes for children can be accurately predicted by taking account of three factors:

1. Adverse in-utero experiences, such as exposure to alcohol and domestic violence that damage brain chemistry
2. Neglecting or abusive attunement by the primary care-giver  that interferes with the infant’s neurological and physiological capacity to deal with stress and change
3. Ongoing stress and trauma that habituates the brain’s stress response system to be on constant alert.

It has also been found that the brain can heal and that effective interventions will be based not on the chronological age of the child but on when the adverse experiences occurred, positive relationships that met the child’s needs in a loving, sensitive and timely way and by ensuring a current healthy relational environment for the child that  offers  physical and emotional safety. 
 
Dr Perry reminded us that the processes of  social change (whether  in organisations or in systems, in law, in policy, in procedure or in practice) are also subject to the nuances of neurodevelopmental  forces (groups of human brains working together!).  Decisions made in a hurry or a panic (in dysregulated states) will be fight/flight/freeze responses, not calm and considered.  Change is relational and personal – people need time to attune, talk and reflect. The steps in change need to provide sufficient challenge for success but not so much challenge as to create stress or distress which will only lead to avoidance and resistance. 
 
This was an exciting and challenging seminar – the implications and actions for best practice will continue to be unfolded via the Looked After Children Strategic Implementation Group.
 
Read more on the CrossReach Children's Services Website