Enhancing resilience to address the malign impact of toxic stress associated with child maltreatment - the value of a Modular Intervention Tool Kit

Toxic stress is triggered by of all forms of child maltreatment, physical, sexual, emotional, neglect and witnessing violence, through extreme prolonged and unpredictable challenge  to the neurobiological system during... [ view full abstract ]

Toxic stress is triggered by of all forms of child maltreatment, physical, sexual, emotional, neglect and witnessing violence, through extreme prolonged and unpredictable challenge  to the neurobiological system during vulnerable periods of development. Stressful activation of the biological response  leads to negative developmental abnormalities, failure of executive functioning, behavioural impulsiveness, unregulated emotional states, feelings of threat even in a safe context. This results in detrimental long term malign consequences, psychiatric and medical disorders at significantly higher rates, poorer educational achievements, lower earnings, risks of being engaged in criminal activities, associated with significant personal and societal costs

We rely on promoting protective responses to  build  resilience and strengths of the child or young person to address the malign effects of toxic stress, countering negative impacts on physical and emotional development. A wide range of evidence-based approaches  interventions  target different forms of maltreatment- 60 at the last count ( Macdonald 2016). However they generally  focus on single forms of maltreatment, and are not developed to meet the cumulative multiple complex impact of toxic stress

The solution has been the introduction of modular tool kit of interventions The Hope for Children and Families Intervention Resources, (Bentovim and Gray 2016)distilled from  the field of evidence based interventions, establishing common practice elements, integrated into modules, and a series of step by step practice guides.  Interventions address  the individual profile of strengths and harmful impacts, positive parenting, safety, good quality care are promoted; emotional, traumatic disruptive and sexualised responses worked with directly. Chorpita (2016) has confirmed the effectiveness of a modular approach compared to attempting to integrate a number of evidence based approaches.

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The workshop will focus on a video case to help participants  assess the impact of toxic stress,  establish a profile for intervention, and initiate a  modular intervention programme of intervention.

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