The Secure Start Atlas of Therapeutic Care has been designed as a practical, evolving knowledge resource for everyone committed to improving the lives of children and young people recovering from adversity.
Unlike a traditional textbook, the Atlas does not present a single theory or model of therapeutic care. Instead, it brings together the ideas of leading practitioners, researchers, educators, organisational leaders and people with lived experience who have appeared on The Secure Start Podcast. By exploring where these perspectives converge, where they differ, and how they complement one another, the Atlas offers a rich and balanced understanding of therapeutic care.
Whether you are looking for practical guidance, theoretical understanding or inspiration for reflective practice, there are several ways to explore the Atlas.
Explore by Topic
If you are interested in a particular area of practice, begin with one of the concept pages.
Topics such as Attachment, Developmental Trauma, Containment, Therapeutic Parenting, Belonging, or Reflective Practice bring together the thinking of multiple contributors, providing a synthesis of current knowledge rather than the perspective of a single individual.
These concept pages are continually updated as new conversations and ideas are added to the Atlas.
Explore by Contributor
Every guest featured in The Secure Start Podcast has a dedicated contributor profile.
Each profile summarises the contributor’s central thesis, major contributions, primary themes, practical applications and the concepts most closely associated with their work. Profiles also highlight related contributors, helping readers discover connections across the field.
Contributor profiles provide an accessible introduction to each guest’s work while encouraging further exploration through their podcast episodes, publications and research.
Follow the Connections
One of the strengths of the Atlas is that no idea exists in isolation.
Many contributors approach similar questions from different professional backgrounds and experiences. Throughout the Atlas you will find links between contributors, concepts and podcast episodes that reveal these connections and encourage deeper exploration.
Over time, interactive Atlas Maps will make these relationships even more visible.
Discover the Big Ideas
As the Atlas continues to grow, recurring themes emerging across contributors will be synthesised into a series of Secure Start Principles of Therapeutic Care.
These principles are not the work of any one individual. Rather, they represent the collective wisdom emerging from years of conversations with internationally respected practitioners, researchers and people with lived experience.
They provide a practical foundation for anyone seeking to develop thoughtful, relationship-based and evidence-informed practice.
A Living Knowledge Resource
The Secure Start Atlas is intentionally designed to evolve.
New podcast episodes introduce new contributors, fresh perspectives and emerging evidence. As these conversations are published, the Atlas will continue to expand through new contributor profiles, concept pages and cross-references.
This ensures that the Atlas remains current, relevant and responsive to developments across therapeutic care, child development, education, psychology and organisational practice.
Who Is the Atlas For?
The Atlas has been developed for anyone interested in improving outcomes for children and young people recovering from adversity, including:
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Residential care professionals
- Foster and kinship carers
- Teachers and school leaders
- Child protection practitioners
- Youth workers
- Health professionals
- Researchers
- Students
- Policy makers
- Parents and caregivers
Regardless of your role, the Atlas invites you to explore, reflect and continue learning alongside a growing international community committed to improving therapeutic care.
Our Purpose
The Secure Start Atlas of Therapeutic Care exists to make high-quality knowledge more accessible.
By bringing together the insights of diverse contributors into a single, connected resource, the Atlas aims to support reflective practice, encourage curiosity, strengthen relationships and promote evidence-informed care.
Ultimately, our hope is that the ideas contained within the Atlas contribute, in some small way, to safer relationships, healthier organisations and brighter futures for children and young people.
Click here to proceed to the next page: The Secure Start Principles of Therapeutic Care.