Position Paper 2023

Transdisciplinary Research for Youth Justice – Position Paper 2023 20 Wong and Devlin (2020) in their identification of the negative implications of trauma on emotional development and also on processes involved in the building of attachment relationships. If Charlie had been placed with a family with a specialist understanding of a developmental approach to supporting trauma then it is possible that he would have been able to build connections from within and therefore reduce his need for less helpful connections with peers who were engaged in criminal activities. The longer-term consequences of trauma for CYP can be psychological, emotional, and physical (Dye, 2018) with Charlie demonstrating his own fear and unmet needs through violence and extreme risk-taking behaviours. Banker et al., (2019) corroborate the link between early traumatic experiences and increased engagement in negative adaptive behaviours; the link between trauma and risk-taking behaviours is heightened when the trauma remains untreated. Charlie experienced multiple moves and transitions between placement which significantly impacted on his ability to connect with others. It is pertinent to note that when Charlie first moved to a secure children’s home the routine and relationships that he developed appeared to help. He was then released and recognised that he struggled with the consequent lack of routine and stability then engaging in further criminal activity in order to return to a place that met Charlie’s core needs of safety and security. Charlie’s observable behaviours including violence and aggression towards others are likely to be adaptive in their origin; he is controlling his own feelings of fear (with origins within a much younger emotional developmental stage) through making others fearful of him (with behaviours in line with his chronological age). This mismatch between developmental stages emphasises the importance of developmentally sensitive and neurobiologically informed approaches (Perry and Hambrick, 2008) to a more holistic and developmentally aware approach to supporting Charlie. 4.3 From a clinical neuropsychology and sociological perspective This response is written through the lens of clinical neuropsychology and sociology, advocating for better recognition of and screening for neurodisability to prevent systemicon