You consider what it means to be working with, or caring for, children and young people who have experienced adversity and trauma. The impact on teachers, social workers, youth workers, foster carers and adoptive parents, police, health care workers, those working in mental health, the criminal justice system and with the homeless is discussed.

You study trauma-informed research methods, philosophies and procedures and explore the nature of enquiry to inform your own ideas for research. You also consider the broader ethical parameters required in research planning and development. This will form the basis of a research plan for the development of your dissertation.

You consider how adverse childhood experiences impact children and young people’s physical and mental health, educational outcomes and life chances. You explore typical and atypical child development and examine the impact of trauma on children and young people's social and emotional development and behaviour, with a focus on relational and developmental trauma.

You consider what steps need to be taken to help children and young people cope with adverse childhood experiences, manage their emotions and behaviours, improve their physical and mental health and well-being, develop resilience and other strategies to thrive.