When a young person presents with behaviour that feels challenging, it can be easy to focus only on what is happening in the moment. Refusal, anger, withdrawal, disruption or risk-taking can quickly become the main concern, especially when adults are trying to keep the young person and others safe.

However, behaviour is often a form of communication. For young people who have experienced trauma, instability or adverse childhood experiences, behaviour may be the only way they can express feelings they do not yet have the words, trust or emotional regulation skills to explain.

At Sherlock, we believe that understanding what sits beneath behaviour is essential to providing the right support.

Understanding the Impact of Trauma

Trauma and adverse childhood experiences can have a significant impact on how a young person sees themselves, others and the world around them. When a young person has experienced fear, loss, rejection, neglect or repeated disruption, they may develop ways of coping that helped them survive difficult situations but later appear as behaviour that adults find hard to understand.

A young person may push adults away because they expect to be let down. They may react strongly to boundaries because limits feel threatening rather than supportive. They may avoid learning because they fear failure, shame or not being good enough. They may appear angry when they are actually anxious, overwhelmed or unsure how to ask for help.

Looking beyond behaviour allows professionals to respond with curiosity rather than judgement, which is the first step towards meaningful change.

Emotional Regulation Takes Time

Many young people who need additional support struggle with emotional regulation. This means they may find it difficult to manage strong feelings, recover after becoming distressed or communicate what they need before a situation escalates.

When emotions feel too big, behaviour can become the outlet. A young person may shout, walk away, shut down, refuse support or become disruptive because they do not yet have safer ways to express what is happening inside.

Support should therefore focus not only on reducing behaviour, but on helping the young person understand and manage their emotions over time. This requires patience, consistency and adults who can remain calm, even when the young person cannot.

Building Trust Before Expecting Change

For many young people, trust does not come quickly. If adults have been inconsistent, absent or unsafe in the past, it is understandable that a young person may test relationships before relying on them.

Expecting immediate change without first building trust can lead to frustration for both the young person and the adults around them. Young people are more likely to accept guidance, boundaries and support when they feel understood and emotionally safe.

Through our work with young people across Birmingham, Solihull and the wider West Midlands, Sherlock focuses on understanding the reasons behind behaviour and creating safe, structured environments where young people can begin to build trust and emotional resilience.

Relationship-Led Support

Positive relationships are central to helping young people feel safe enough to change. A relationship-led approach does not mean avoiding boundaries or lowering expectations. It means placing connection at the heart of support, so that boundaries are delivered with warmth, consistency and understanding.

When a young person has a trusted relationship with an adult, they are more likely to communicate honestly, reflect on behaviour and try new ways of coping. The relationship becomes a secure base from which they can begin to take small steps forward.

This is why key workers, teachers, care teams, therapists, social workers and wider professionals all play an important role. Every interaction can either strengthen trust or weaken it, which is why consistency across the professional network matters.

Creating Safe and Structured Environments

Young people who have experienced instability often need environments that feel predictable and safe. Clear routines, calm responses and consistent expectations help reduce anxiety and create the conditions for emotional growth.

Structure should not feel punitive. It should help young people understand what is happening, what is expected and where support is available. When environments are safe and predictable, young people are more able to regulate, engage and build confidence.

At Sherlock, we understand that behaviour cannot be separated from a young person’s experiences, relationships and environment. By creating safe, structured spaces and using relationship-led support, we help young people feel understood rather than judged.

Need Support for a Young Person?

If you are supporting a young person in Birmingham, Solihull or the wider West Midlands whose behaviour may be communicating unmet emotional needs, Sherlock can help provide the right environment, relationships and therapeutic understanding to support positive change.

Our teams work with young people, families, schools, Local Authorities and wider professional networks to look beyond behaviour and understand what each young person needs to feel safe, supported and ready to move forward.

To discuss how Sherlock can support a young person through relationship-led care, therapeutic thinking and safe, structured environments, contact our team today.

Email: info@sherlockhealthcare.co.uk
Phone: 07474653000