ABSTRACT
The first three years of life are increasingly seen as a foundational period in terms of both neurological and psychological development. During this time, brain development is at its most rapid, with the establishment of neural pathways forming the basis of self-experience, regulation of emotions and interpersonal understanding (Schore, 2000). Abuse or neglect during this particularly sensitive stage can have devastating effects. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report (2017) found 45,714 substantiated cases of child abuse in the 12-month period 2015–16, with 61,723 children under care and protection orders. Children under one year of age were the most likely to be in receipt of child protection services at 37.6 cases per 1000 children. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were seven times more likely to have received child protection services than other children. Importantly, the impacts of child trauma are related to the age of the child, the relationships between the child and the perpetrator, the duration of abuse and the response to any disclosures made; abuse and trauma are more likely to have significant developmental impacts during infancy and early childhood when the child is most dependent on the attachment figure. However, sophisticated early therapeutic interventions targeting the parent–infant dyad are being developed to guide early intervention and may significantly improve outcomes.
