Mental Health Awareness: Using the PACE Model to Support Young People in Residential Care
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Mental Health Awareness Week last week was an opportunity to reflect on how we support the emotional wellbeing of children and young people, particularly those living in residential care settings. But it's important to make sure we are continuing to support them throughout the rest of the year too.
For many young people in care, mental health difficulties are closely linked to experiences of trauma, disrupted attachments, loss, neglect, or instability. These experiences can significantly affect how safe they feel in relationships and how they respond to stress, boundaries, and support.
This is why relationship-based approaches are so important within therapeutic residential care.
One approach increasingly recognised across residential services is the PACE model, developed by Dr Dan Hughes. At bMindful Psychology, the PACE approach forms part of our trauma-informed training and therapeutic work with residential teams supporting children and young people who have experienced developmental trauma.
What is the PACE model?
PACE stands for:
Playfulness
Acceptance
Curiosity
Empathy
The model helps adults build emotionally safe and trusting relationships with children and young people, particularly those who may struggle with attachment, emotional regulation, or feelings of shame.
PACE is not about removing boundaries or expectations. Instead, it focuses on how adults communicate and respond during moments of distress, conflict, or disconnection.
In residential care, where young people may have experienced repeated relational trauma, this PACE approach can make a significant difference to emotional wellbeing and placement stability.
Why PACE matters in residential care for young people
Young people living in residential settings often communicate distress through behaviour.
Staff may see:
aggression,
withdrawal,
refusal,
risk-taking behaviours,
emotional shutdown,
or conflict within relationships.
Without a trauma-informed understanding, these behaviours can sometimes be viewed as “attention-seeking” or “challenging.”
However, trauma-informed practice encourages us to ask:
“What has happened to this young person?” rather than “What is wrong with them?”
The PACE model supports this shift in perspective by helping staff remain emotionally available and regulated, even during difficult moments.
The conversation around young people’s mental health continues to highlight the importance of safe relationships, connection, and early emotional support.
Playfulness: Creating safety through connection
Playfulness does not mean avoiding serious issues or making light of distress.
In therapeutic care, playfulness is about creating warmth, connection, and emotional safety. It can help reduce shame, tension, and fear.
Simple examples may include:
gentle humour,
a light tone of voice,
shared activities,
moments of laughter and connection.
For young people who expect criticism or rejection from adults, these moments can help relationships feel safer and more trusting.
Acceptance: Separating the young person from the behaviour
Acceptance means communicating:
“I can accept and understand your feelings, even when I cannot accept certain behaviours.”
Many children in care carry significant shame linked to their past experiences and relationships. If adults focus only on consequences, young people may internalise the belief that they themselves are “bad.”
PACE encourages adults to separate the child from the behaviour:
challenging the action,
while still valuing the young person.
This supports emotional safety and reduces defensive responses.
Curiosity: Understanding what sits underneath behaviour
Curiosity is one of the most powerful elements of PACE.
Rather than reacting with anger or immediate correction, staff aim to remain curious about the meaning behind the behaviour.
For example:
Is the young person feeling rejected?
Are they overwhelmed?
Has something triggered a trauma response?
Are they struggling with trust or control?
Curiosity helps staff move away from blame and towards understanding.
This does not mean excusing unsafe behaviour - it means responding in a way that promotes reflection and emotional regulation instead of escalating shame or conflict.
Empathy: Helping young people feel emotionally understood
Empathy involves recognising and validating the emotions underneath behaviour.
For example:
“I can see that felt really difficult for you.”
Young people who have experienced trauma often expect adults to dismiss, punish, or misunderstand them. Empathy helps challenge those expectations.
Feeling emotionally understood can:
reduce escalation,
strengthen trust,
improve emotional regulation,
and support healthier relationships over time.
In residential care, empathy is not about removing boundaries - it is about delivering boundaries within a safe and supportive relationship.
Consistency across teams is key
For the PACE model to be effective in residential care, consistency across the whole staff team is essential.
When adults respond unpredictably, young people may feel unsafe or uncertain. Consistent therapeutic responses help create stability and trust.
At bMindful Psychology, we support residential providers through:
trauma-informed training,
PACE workshops,
therapeutic consultation,
reflective practice,
and psychologically informed approaches tailored to residential environments.
Our work helps teams build confidence in responding therapeutically while maintaining safe and effective care.
Moving from awareness to action
Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us that supporting mental health in residential care is not only about recognising distress - it is about creating environments where young people feel emotionally safe, understood, and connected, throughout the year.
Small relational moments matter:
staying calm during escalation,
repairing relationships after incidents,
showing empathy,
remaining curious,
and helping young people feel valued.
These everyday interactions can have a lasting impact on emotional wellbeing and recovery.
How bMindful Psychology can support your residential service
bMindful Psychology provides specialist therapeutic support for residential care providers across the UK.
Our services include:
Therapeutic Parenting & PACE training
Trauma-informed residential care training
Team consultation and reflective practice
Psychological formulation
Bespoke therapeutic intervention
Support for creating therapeutic environments
We work alongside residential teams to strengthen relational practice and support positive outcomes for children and young people.
To find out more about our residential services or upcoming training webinars, visit bMindful Psychology Training & Qualifications.
Contact us today
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you. Find out more about our residential services for children and young people.
Comments