Adolescents with Complex Presentations: A Developmental Attachment and Trauma Approach

Andrew Rogers and Joel Harvey

This presentation will highlight the need to take a developmental approach when working with adolescents and young adults who display high risk behaviour. The importance of early attachment experiences and complex developmental trauma on the developing brain, emerging personality and behaviour will be highlighted. An emerging meta-framework to guide work with adolescents who display high risk behaviour will be presented, along with some early outcome data from complex needs provision within the young people’s secure estate.