Needs of Children Experiencing Disability, Trauma, and Mental Ill-Health

Trauma and disability are frequently co-occurring lived experiences for children and young people. Children who have experienced developmental trauma are likely to experience poor outcomes across the lifespan. Equally, the risk of exposure to maltreatment is substantially increased when a child experiences impairment and disability. Therefore, the impacts of trauma on the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and mental developmental domains of a child are equally considered to be disabilities. Thus, developmental trauma and disability are frequently co-occurring lived experiences for children and young people. This chapter explores the intersection of developmental trauma, disability and mental ill-health, and the needs of children who share this lived experience.