Evolve Therapeutic Services

Evolve Therapeutic Services (ETS) was established in 2005 as a tertiary level mental health intervention service to address severe and complex mental health therapeutic needs of children/young people with a care experience (out-of-home) within Queensland. More specifically, ETS provides specialist intensive trauma-informed mental health interventions for children/young people:

  • subject to an interim or finalised child protection order granting custody or guardianship to the Chief Executive of the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety (DFSDSCS)
  • on an Intervention with Parental Agreement and subject to a child protection care agreement.

Referrals to ETS can only be made by DFSDSCS. If a referral is unable to be accepted, recommendations are provided to DFSDSCS regarding appropriate alternative service options.

ETS Statewide Factsheet (PDF 122 kB)

Subscribe to ETS statewide newsletter (Empowering Minds) - a quarterly publication that includes the ETS Statewide free virtual training calendar.

Consumer resources

ETS Nurturing Protective and Positive Childhood Experiences (NPPCE) Framework and Resources

The ETS NPPCE Framework offers clear, research-based steps to help reduce the harm caused by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). It supports caregivers, support agencies, and stakeholders in developing coordinated action plans. At its core are key messages that young people need to hear and take in to support healing and recovery. These messages are strengthened through five practical protective and positive childhood experience focus areas.

Caveman Series

The ETS Caveman Series is a collection of trauma-informed storybooks and resources that help people understand how stress affects the brain and behaviour. It explains the difference between the reactive “Caveman Brain” and the more thoughtful “Thinker Brain” in a clear and engaging way. Through stories and practical tools, the series teaches how to calm the Caveman Brain and strengthen the Thinker Brain. Created for individuals who have experienced developmental trauma, it supports emotional regulation and promotes healing.

Storybooks

Factsheets

Mindful and grounding resource

Harmful Sexual Behaviour

The ETS Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) resources help professionals respond to sexual behaviours in children and young people using a trauma-informed approach. They explain the difference between age-appropriate sexual development and harmful sexual behaviour, explore why young people may engage in HSB, and highlight the need for early therapeutic support to reduce long-term harm. The resources encourage a young person-focused approach that includes individual, relational, and systemic support, while also helping families and carers through trauma-informed care.

Overview documents

Factsheets

Support & Supervision plans

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources

The ETS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) resources support healing by recognising the deep connections First Nations people have to land, culture, spirituality, family, and community. These resources include SEWB cards and culturally grounded tools that reflect their values and lived experiences. The resources were co-developed through deep yarns with ETS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers.

Overview documents

ETS SEWB Cards

Protective Factors

Factsheets and therapeutic responses

The ETS factsheets are short, easy-to-read resources that explain key ideas from developmental trauma, trauma-informed care and mental health. They help professionals, carers, and families understand complex topics like emotional regulation, attachment, and therapeutic responses in a clear and practical way. Each factsheet and therapeutic resource is designed to support learning, reflection, and better care for children and young people who have experienced trauma.

Developmental Trauma

Mental Health

Therapeutic Responses

Storybooks

The ETS storybooks are trauma-informed resources designed to help children and young people understand their brain, emotions, behaviours, and relationships. Each book supports therapeutic conversations and helps build safety, connection, and self-awareness in a way that’s accessible and age appropriate.

Wellbeing – individual and workplace

Individual and staff wellbeing is essential for providing safe, effective care, especially in trauma-informed settings. These ETS resources help people understand compassion satisfaction (the positive feelings from helping others) and compassion fatigue (the strain from ongoing care), offering strategies to support wellbeing, reflection, and healing.

Infant Mental Health

The ETS Infant Mental Health resources focus on helping individuals understand and support the emotional and relational development of babies and toddlers, especially those affected by trauma or disrupted caregiving. These resources help caregivers and professionals understand how early relationships shape brain development, emotional regulation, and long-term wellbeing. They promote safe, nurturing interactions and offer practical strategies to strengthen attachment and support healing from the very beginning of life.

Professional Development

Alongside providing direct mental health services (individual, dyadic, and systemic) ETS also offers psychoeducation. In addition to the ETS virtual training calendar, these professional developments sessions (online self-paced package and recorded sessions) are designed to support foster and kinship carers, residential care staff, and professionals across government, non-government, and private sectors. ETS is dedicated to delivering high-quality learning experiences that help others grow and feel confident in their work.

Last updated: 17 December 2025