Regulated. Ethical. Accessible. Lived-Experience-Led
REAL CPD -A trauma-informed accreditation standard
Every course we accredit aligns with four key pillars:
• Regulated:
Learning that supports nervous system safety through pacing, grounding and embodied awareness.
• Ethical:
Grounded in compassion, reflection, and relational integrity – not just rules, relationship.
• Accessible:
Designed to include and welcome diverse needs, learning styles, and life circumstances
• Lived Experience-Led:
Rooted in real-world understanding – honouring personal truth as valid and valuable knowledge
We Accredit Learning that Heals, Connects and Empowers
CPD Accreditation for courses that are trauma-informed, lived-experience-led, and heart-centred.
What Trauma-Informed CPD Means to Us
At A Positive Start CIC, CPD isn’t just a tick-box or a certificate – it’s a commitment to learning that heals rather than harms. We believe continuing professional development should honour the full humanity of both the facilitator and the learner.
Here’s what defines Trauma-Informed CPD in our organisation:
Lived-Experience is Valid Knowledge
We recognise that lived experience offers wisdom no textbook can replicate. Courses accredited through our process are invited to value story, struggle, and survival as powerful foundations of knowledge – especially in trauma-informed fields.
We don’t just ask what you know – we ask how you came to know it.
Nervous System-Aware Learning
Trauma-informed learning understands the body is part of the classroom. We look for courses that create spaces for regulation, not reactivation – where pacing, grounding, and emotional safety are considered just as important as outcomes.
We favour learning that invites the whole person to be present – mind, body and nervous system.
REAL Inclusion and Accessibility
We believe education should meet people where they are. Trauma-Informed CPD includes voices often left out of traditional professional settings. We encourage accessible formats, inclusive language, and flexibility around engagement.
Neurodivergent-friendly. Survivor-led. Grassroots-rooted.
Safety, Compassion & Reflective Practice
We look for facilitators who hold space with care, who name harm when it happens, and who reflect on their own growth. Compassion isn’t a soft skill – it’s a core competency.
Learning environments must be emotionally safe, not just content-rich.
Pay What You Can. No One Turned Away.
We offer a tiered pricing model to reflect your reality.
If you're charging for your course, we ask a modest fee
If you're not, your accreditation is our gift.
REAL CPD Accreditation
Regulated. Ethical. Accessible. Lived Experience Led.
For courses that are trauma-informed, lived-experience-led, and heart-centred.
Not just CPD. Conscious. Person-centred. Trauma-Informed.
We believe that the people best placed to teach trauma-informed care are those who understand in their bones. Whether you’re a community group, survivor-led initiative, or experienced facilitator, we honour the depth of your work and offer accreditation that respects your values.
- Trauma-aware criteria
- Accessible fee structure
- Zero-cost for free courses
- Designed for grassroots, not gatekeepers
- Read the Criteria – Download our trauma-informed standards and see if your course aligns
- Complete the Application – Tell us about your course, what learners will gain, and how it’s delivered
- Peer Review – We will review each course gently but thoroughly – looking for clarity, safety, and integrity.
- Outcome & Support -We’ll notify you with a decision, suggest tweaks if needed, and issue your CPD badge and certificate templates
- Share proudly -Add your CPD status to your materials and be listed in our Accredited Directory.
- Trauma-Informed workshops
- Lived-Experience-led programmes
- Emotional regulation, safeguarding, resilience training
- Online or in-person delivery
- Peer-led or practitioner-led spaces
If your work restores safety, dignity or connection -we want to hear from you