Counselling for Children in Out of Home Care
in the Sutherland Shire

Reparative parenting is often used as part of broader trauma counselling work, when children have experienced complex or developmental trauma, attachment disruptions or early relational stress.  It focuses on rebuilding emotional safety and trust within the parent–child relationship.

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Based in Menai in the Sutherland Shire, Evolving Minds Counselling and Psychology provides trauma-informed, neuro-affirming reparative parenting support for parents and carers, including foster and kinship carers of children in out of home care, seeking to strengthen connection, emotional safety and trust within their family.

 

What is reparative parenting?

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Reparative parenting is a relationship-based approach that supports parents and carers to respond to their child's needs in ways that build safety, connection and trust.

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Early experiences can influence how a child expresses emotions, responds to routines, forms relationships and manages overwhelm. Parents and carers often describe feeling unsure how to respond, or concerned about ongoing emotional or behavioural patterns at home. Reparative parenting offers a way to make sense of what's happening underneath those patterns and shift how the family responds together.

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How does reparative parenting work?

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Sessions involve working alongside parents and carers to better understand what may sit beneath a child's behaviour, including emotional reactivity, shutdown responses, mistrust, anxiety or difficulties with co-regulation.

 

This involves supporting co-regulation and emotional safety, developing attuned communication and responses, strengthening connection and trust within relationships, creating predictable routines and boundaries, and repairing moments of stress or disconnection. Where helpful, creative and play-based strategies are used to support attachment.

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When should you consider reparative parenting?

 

You may wish to seek support if your child is experiencing strong emotional reactions or difficulty settling, struggling with trust or connection in relationships, or showing ongoing behavioural or relational challenges. Reparative parenting can also be helpful when your child is finding transitions, routines or boundaries difficult, or where their experience has been shaped by early stress or disruption.

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Where the parenting partnership is also under strain, couples-focused approaches such as Gottman Method Couples Therapy may be drawn on alongside reparative parenting work.

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Reparative parenting is also commonly used by foster carers, kinship carers, and adoptive parents, where building secure attachment is a central focus.

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What approaches do we use?

 

Our clinicians draw on a range of evidence-based and relational approaches, including attachment-informed and trauma-informed frameworks, emotion-focused work with parents, and practical strategies that support co-regulation and connection. For younger children, sessions may also involve play and art therapy or sensory regulation strategies alongside the parent work.

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This work is often informed by an understanding of developmental trauma, and may sit alongside broader child and adolescent counselling.

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Reparative parenting in the Sutherland Shire

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We see families from across the Sutherland Shire, including Sutherland, Miranda, Caringbah, Gymea, Kirrawee, Engadine, Bangor and Illawong. We also see families from the St George area, including Hurstville, Penshurst and Mortdale, in person or online.

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Our psychologists and counsellors have postgraduate training in developmental trauma, with experience working within child protection, out-of-home care and family restoration settings, supporting families navigating complex developmental and relational challenges. You can read more about our team and their areas of focus.

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For additional information, you may wish to explore the Australian Childhood Foundation or Emerging Minds, both of which provide resources on attachment, trauma, and supporting children's development.

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Getting started

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​Appointments are available in person at our Menai practice and via secure online appointments across Australia.

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If you’re unsure where to begin, our Client Care Team can assist. Call 02 8519 4197 or click the button below to request an appointment.