ABSTRACT
The Sleeping Dogs method starts with an outline of the child and his circumstances, for which the Case Conceptualization Form is used. The child’s barriers are analysed with the Barriers Form, which consists of a set of questions around five items: safety, daily life, attachment, emotion regulation and cognitive shift. Based on the analysis of the child’s barriers, a customized treatment plan is made with the Barriers Action Plan. Treatment only focuses on overcoming the child’s barriers, so the child can participate as soon as possible in processing his traumatic memories as this will relieve the child’s symptoms. When involved, child protection services need to be an important part of the treatment plan, as their decisions can either support or undermine treatment. The child’s parents are involved, even if they are the abuser or perpetrator and have abused or neglected the child, to motivate the child and provide the child with information. The child’s caregivers and network motivate the child and can do interventions. Then the remaining problems on the areas of safety, daily life, attachment, emotion regulation and cognitive shift are addressed with the Integration Action Plan, to overcome the consequences of developmental trauma.
