Our Model
Glow’s Integrated Reparenting Model
Our integrated therapeutic model is grounded in the latest research and best practices in trauma-informed care, drawing upon a range of evidence-based approaches to support children with complex developmental trauma.
At its core, the model is built around Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), developed by Dan Hughes. DDP emphasizes the importance of relational safety and attunement through the PACE approach—Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy. These principles guide all therapeutic interactions, creating a secure base for the child to explore their inner world, develop trust, and form meaningful connections with caregivers and therapists.
Informed by Developmental Trauma Theory, the model recognises how early adverse experiences can profoundly impact a child’s emotional regulation, attachment, and neurobiological development. This understanding shapes interventions that are developmentally sensitive, rather than purely behaviour-focused, meeting the child at their emotional and relational level.
Building on this, the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk supports our understanding of how trauma is stored in the body and the brain. His insights reinforce the need for body-based, sensory, and relational interventions that help children feel safe in their bodies and environments, as a foundation for healing.
The BERRI assessment tool is used to identify individual needs, measure progress, and evaluate effective interventions, ultimately guiding appropriate long-term placement decisions. Alongside this, our GLOW re-parenting pathway provides a structured approach to intervention. It targets our four key domains which can be disrupted by trauma: Growth (regulation), Love (attachment), Opportunities (competencies) and Wellbeing (readiness and safety).
Together, these approaches form a cohesive, relational, and trauma-informed model that prioritizes safety, connection, and emotional growth. It supports children in re-patterning their responses to stress, rebuilding trust in others, and fostering resilience—laying the groundwork for recovery, relational capacity, and long-term stability.
The Glow Re-Parenting Pathway includes 4 domains:
G R O W T H
supporting emotional, psychological and developmental healing
Many young people who experience trauma can struggle at home and school as a result of difficult behaviours, out of control emotions, and impulsive or disorganised bodies. Underlying these challenges is often a difficulty with regulation – of feelings, of thoughts, and of physical experience. Children need skills in identifying, understanding, tolerating, and managing internal experience to help manage their feelings that are interfering with learning and enjoyment. Regulation is addressed through:
• Supporting children in developing an awareness and understanding of feelings, body states, and associated thoughts and behaviours;
• Helping children develop increased capacity to tolerate and manage physiological and emotional experience; and
• Enhancing tolerance for and skill in building relational connection.
L O V E
providing a safe, caring and attachment informed environment
The framework focuses on strengthening the relationships between the adults and the child, fostering attachments which build emotional intelligence and resilience. For children to thrive they need to feel secure in loving relationships. Attachment gives the safety needed to explore and grow.
• Enabling the capacity to make close relationships, interested in forming relationships
• Enhancing rhythm and reciprocity in the adult-child relationship, developing loving bonds for a sense of safety, trust and security.
• Building consistent engagement, mutual trust in lasting relationships
O P P O R T U N I T Y
helping children rediscover choice, trust and hope
The framework addresses key factors associated with resilience in stress-impacted environments. A goal of intervention is to increase positive / resilient outcomes among children, helping children build the foundational skills they need to navigate the world effectively. This is strength based, focussing on building what’s missing and not just fixing what has gone wrong.
• Increasing opportunity for choice and empowerment, and skill through executive functioning, problem solving and social skills
• Identification and exploration of a range of aspects of self and identity, and building coherence through development of narrative around key life experiences, including traumatic exposures.
• Rebuilding confidence and trust in learning
W E L L N E S S
prioritising mental health, safety and holistic care
This brings together the above domains to reflect the child’s readiness for moving on, looking at the child’s sense of wholeness and safety as well as identification of the next steps for the child on their journey.
• Provision of a wellbeing routine of nutrition, sleep hygiene and exercise and a strong team around the child to hold the child in the period of transition.
• Empowering the child’s ability to recognise safe verses unsafe situations and environments.
• Ensuring the child has hope, purpose and a sense of meaning surrounding their past and their future.