ISP Knowledge Hub

What is trauma?

This guide helps you understand what we mean by 'trauma' and how it may affect a child in your care.

The impact of trauma

Discover the impact of early childhood trauma, and what it means for young people in foster care.

Trauma and the brain

Learn about the profound impact that childhood trauma can have on brain development.

Trauma and attachment

Explore how a child's relationship with primary caregivers and those crucial early interactions can shape their attachment style.

Healing from trauma

Explore the strategies and therapeutic perspectives you need to help children recover from trauma.

Understanding Dissociation

Discover how dissociation can develop as an unconscious coping mechanism for young people facing overwhelming experiences.

Secure Base Model Explained

Explore the benefits of the Secure Base model and how it helps children in care feel safe and secure.

PACE Parenting

Learn how to use the PACE approach in daily interactions to build a connection and diffuse difficult situations.

What is therapeutic fostering?

Discover more about therapeutic fostering and how it helps children in care to heal from complex trauma.

What are complex needs?

This guide will help you understand complex needs and how to support the young person in your care.

Fostering a child with autism

With the right know-how, you can help a child with autism flourish and reach their full potential.

Autism YouTube Series

In this series, ISP Therapist Marnie shares lots of practical advice for caring for a young person with autism.

How to help your child at school

Our experts provide their advice on ways to help the young person in your care thrive at school.

Education, Health & Care Plans

Everything you need to know about EHCPs including who's eligible, what the plan covers and how to apply.

Special education needs

This guide will help you understand special educational needs and how to support the young person in your care.

My child won't go to school

We explore some of the reasons why a child may refuse to go to school and what you can do to help.

My child's been excluded

Here's what you need to do if a child in your care has been excluded from school.

Help a child go back to school

Many children in care will miss parts of their education. Here's how you can support their transition back into school.

SEND resources

Discover resources to help children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Understanding identity

We explore the role of race, ethnicity and culture in identity formation, and how being in foster care may impact that.

Supporting Teenager With Gender Identity

Lucy shares her journey fostering a young person who was exploring their gender identity, and provides some useful advice.

Supporting children from different backgrounds

Practical ways to meet both the physical and emotional needs of a child from a different racial or cultural background.

Why representation matters

We explain why diversity is important for all children, not just those from minority backgrounds.