SIXTH BIENNIAL
International Childhood Trauma Conference 2027
Join us in 2027 as we come together for the sixth biennial conference, continuing the global conversation on trauma-informed practice, healing, and hope.
About the 2027 International Childhood Trauma Conference.
In 2027, we will come together for our sixth biennial conference, focussing on the powerful theme From harm to hope: Collective pathways to trauma transformation. This gathering will reflect our shared commitment to transforming the lives of children and adults impacted by childhood trauma, and to doing so together, sharing collective purpose, courage, and care.
At the heart of the conference remains a deep focus on connection as a foundation for healing. We will explore how relationships—with self, others, place, community, and Country can move individuals and communities from experiences of harm toward hope, healing, and restoration.
Consistent with our values, First Nations voices and expertise, will be central, alongside the wisdom of people with lived experience of trauma, researchers, and practitioners. We will also explore how collective action, relational repair, and culturally grounded practices can shift systems from managing harm to cultivating hope. Centring the power of connection, belonging, and shared responsibility in healing, together we will learn, grow, and move forward with new practical resources to support work across the vast communities we represent.
The conference, like others before it, will offer a unique space for collective reflection, the sharing of best‑practice approaches, and the exploration of emerging ideas and critical issues shaping the future of trauma‑informed work. We look forward to gathering again in 2027 as we continue this shared journey and reflect on the powerful pathways we forge together from harm to hope.
Janise Mitchell
CEO, Australian Childhood Foundation
Conference Convenor
Our conference theme
From harm to hope invites us to recognise that healing is not an individual journey, but a collective responsibility. This theme centres the power of communities, cultures, and relationships in transforming the impacts of childhood trauma. It highlights the importance of shared wisdom in creating environments characterised by hope, where children, adults, and families can recover, reconnect, and thrive. The conference will:
- Explore how collective action, relational repair, and culturally grounded practices can shift systems from managing harm to cultivating hope
- Highlight new ideas and approaches that expand what healing can look like
- Elevate the expertise of those with lived and living experience and First Nations voices
- Centre the power of connection, belonging, and shared responsibility in healing
