After a successful pilot The Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute (DDPI) have approved the Scottish Attachment in Action (SAIA) delivery model for DDP PACE training.

PACE training supports adults to build safe, trusting and meaningful relationships with children and young people who have experienced trauma. PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) is the core therapeutic, relational attitude of DDP (Dyadic Developmental Practice).

This training is suitable for a range of practitioners working in education, social work and health settings as well as for adoptive parents, foster and kinship carers. The course will be delivered over six two and a half hour evening sessions online (6 x 2.5 hrs) on Tuesdays from September through to November.

This DDP PACE Training Course is certificated by the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute (DDPI) and delivered by SAIA Training Associates who are DDP PACE Trainers.

Session Content

Session 1: The importance of relational connection for human development

• Theories of attachment and intersubjectivity
• The dance of attunement, emotional regulation, and reflective functioning
• The origin of the attitude of PACE

Session 2: The impact of relational trauma on brain development

• What is relational trauma?
• The Impact on behaviour, thinking and feeling
• How the PACE approach helps children to trust

Session 3: Survival strategies – how our core beliefs of self-shape our relationships

• The trusting and mistrusting brain
• Shame and guilt. What’s the difference and why does It matter?
• Skills practice – reframing our language through PACE approach

Session 4: Blocked care and secondary trauma

• How does caring for/teaching children with relational trauma affect the adults
• Remaining open and engaged: PACE for self and with other adults
• Mindfulness to increase sensitive, attuned responsiveness

Session 5: The attitude of PACE in action

• PACE with children in living and learning
• Regulate, relate, reason and repair
• Skills practice – integrating theory into day-to-day practice

Session 6: Discipline with empathy – connection before correction

• The two hands of parenting, consequences, and choices
• Remaining open and engaged in the tricky moments
• Skills practice – PACE in action

Please note: To gain DDPI certification, delegates must undertake all six sessions, and these can be undertaken in any order. However, if certification is not what you’re looking for then you can also dip in and out by attending the sessions that are of interest.

Each session is £50 for an SAIA member or £75 for a non-member to attend. If you book the block of all six sessions, you will receive a 10% discount plus one-year annual membership of SAIA.

Your link to join will be emailed to you one week prior to the start of each session.

Interested in becoming a member?

You can find out more about becoming a member of Scottish Attachment in Action member HERE. Membership is annual and there are three different cost categories: £15 Student membership, £20 Individual membership and £200 Organisation membership.