With over 18 years of experience in social work and adoption, Hayley Jones is passionate about helping children and families navigate trauma, loss and change. Through therapeutic parenting support, attachment-focused interventions and direct work with children and families, she helps parents and carers look beyond behaviour to understand the emotions and experiences beneath it. More recently, she has extended that support through her first therapeutic children’s book, Pippin the Pug, using storytelling to gently explore identity, belonging and family change. Here, she talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind HJ Trauma Support, the challenges and rewards of running her own business, and her hopes of helping more families find connection, confidence and hope.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
I’ve spent over 18 years building a career in social work and adoption, supporting children and families through an incredibly wide range of experiences, challenges and life-changing circumstances. I’ve worked alongside children who have experienced trauma, loss, separation, abuse and adversity, and with the parents, carers and professionals striving to help them heal. Throughout my career, one thing became increasingly clear to me: when parents and carers understand the emotional meaning beneath a child’s behaviour, relationships begin to change. Behaviour is communication, and when we respond with curiosity rather than judgement, children feel safer, more connected and better understood.
Becoming a parent myself deepened that understanding even further. It reminded me that every parent, regardless of their experience or knowledge, has moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. I wanted to create a service that combined professional expertise with genuine warmth and compassion – a place where families felt heard, supported and empowered, rather than judged.
HJ Trauma Support was born from that passion. My aim is to help parents move away from asking, “What’s wrong with my child?” and instead begin asking, “What might my child be trying to tell me?” I truly believe that when we change the question, we change the relationship. Watching families rediscover connection, confidence and hope is what continues to inspire me every day.
More recently, that passion has also led me to become a children’s author. Through Pippin the Pug, I’ve been able to support children beyond the therapy room, using storytelling to explore identity, belonging and family change in a way that feels safe, gentle and accessible.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I initially began working independently alongside my social work role, offering therapeutic parenting support, attachment-focused interventions and direct therapeutic work with children and families. What started as a small venture quickly grew through word of mouth, with referrals coming from schools, local authorities, kinship and adoption services, and recommendations from other professionals who had seen the impact of my work.
Taking the leap into full self-employment was both exciting and daunting. Leaving the security of an established career wasn’t a decision I took lightly, but it gave me the freedom to build a service that truly reflected my values. Instead of being driven by timescales or organisational pressures, I could work at each family’s pace, building trusting relationships, tailoring support to their unique experiences and providing the consistency, compassion and therapeutic curiosity that children affected by trauma need to feel safe enough to heal.
Since then, the business has continued to grow and evolve. Opening my own dedicated therapy room has allowed me to create a calm, welcoming environment where children and families can feel secure and understood, and more recently, I’ve expanded that support beyond the therapy room through my children’s book, Pippin the Pug. Looking back, taking that leap was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
One of the biggest breakthroughs in my business was opening my own dedicated therapy room. It marked a real turning point, allowing me to create a calm, welcoming environment designed entirely around the needs of children and families. More than just a room, it became a place where children could feel safe enough to play, explore difficult emotions and build trusting relationships, while parents and carers had the opportunity to pause, reflect and feel genuinely supported. Seeing families return week after week and begin to view the space as somewhere they felt understood was incredibly rewarding.
That milestone also gave me the confidence to continue growing the business in new ways. Most recently, I fulfilled a long-held ambition by writing my first children’s book, Pippin the Pug. Inspired by the children and families I have worked alongside, the story gently explores identity, belonging and family change in a way that is accessible, reassuring and therapeutic. Watching families, therapists, teachers and social workers embrace both my therapeutic work and the book has reinforced my belief that healing happens through connection, understanding and shared stories – and that sometimes the smallest moments of connection can make the biggest difference.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Like many parents, I’m still learning! I don’t think there’s a perfect balance between work and family; it’s something I’m continually striving for.
Running my own business has given me a flexibility I didn’t always have, allowing me to be present for school events, family adventures and all the everyday moments that matter. Being there for my children has been the greatest blessing of working for myself. From the school runs and school trips to sports days and assemblies, I no longer have to choose between being a mum and pursuing a career I’m passionate about.
At the same time, I care deeply about my work, so creating healthy boundaries is something I have to be intentional about. I have been known to take on one project too many, set myself ambitious goals and even convince myself that writing and publishing a children’s picture book would be a sensible addition to my to-do list!
When life feels busy, spending time outdoors with my family and our dog, Bailey, helps me slow down, switch off and recharge. Those quieter moments bring everything back into perspective and remind me why I started this journey in the first place: to make a difference for children and families, while never losing sight of the importance of being present for my own.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Starting a business can feel incredibly vulnerable. You’re stepping away from the security of employment and putting your own ideas, values and work out into the world, never quite knowing how they will be received.
Like many small business owners, I’ve experienced moments of uncertainty and self-doubt. Promoting myself has probably been one of my biggest challenges. It doesn’t come naturally to me, and I’ve had to learn that if I want to reach the families who could benefit from my support. I also have to be willing to share my work and tell my story. Building trust takes time, particularly in a profession where parents and carers are placing something so precious in your hands.
Publishing Pippin the Pug, my first therapeutic children’s picture book, brought a whole new set of challenges. Writing the story was only the beginning. What started as a creative idea quickly became a journey into illustration, publishing, book design and marketing – an entirely unfamiliar world that pushed me well outside my comfort zone. There were plenty of moments where I questioned whether I could do it, but holding the finished book in my hands and seeing it reach children, families and professionals has made every challenge worthwhile.
Those experiences have reminded me that growth rarely comes from staying comfortable. Every challenge has strengthened my confidence, expanded my skills and reinforced my belief that taking a leap of faith can lead to opportunities you never imagined.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The greatest advantage of running my own business is the freedom to work in a way that truly reflects my values. I can provide personalised, relationship-based support without feeling constrained by timescales, organisational pressures or one-size-fits-all approaches. Every family is different, and I value being able to adapt my support to meet their individual needs. I also have the freedom to be creative, whether that’s developing new therapeutic resources, creating parent programmes or writing children’s books that help families navigate difficult conversations.
The downside is that when you’re passionate about what you do, it’s hard to switch off. There’s always another idea to explore, another resource to create or another project waiting to be brought to life. The line between work and home can easily become blurred, so I’ve learned that looking after my own wellbeing isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. If I’m encouraging parents and carers to prioritise self-care and compassion, then I need to model that in my own life too.
Ultimately, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. Having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to children’s lives, while building a business that reflects who I am and what I believe in, is a privilege I never take for granted.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My biggest hope is to reach more families before they reach crisis point. So often, parents and carers are doing the very best they can, but by the time they seek support, they’re exhausted, overwhelmed and questioning themselves. I’d love to see therapeutic, trauma-informed support become something families can access earlier, helping to strengthen relationships before difficulties escalate.
I’m continuing to expand my therapeutic parenting services so that more parents and carers can access practical, compassionate guidance wherever they live. I’d also love to keep writing children’s books that help families navigate big emotions, identity, loss and life’s difficult conversations together. My dream is for Pippin the Pug to become a series of therapeutic stories that spark conversations, build connection and support children through some of life’s biggest challenges.
Ultimately, my vision is simple: that every child has at least one adult who understands that behaviour has meaning and that connection is where healing begins. If there’s one message I’d love every parent to take away, it’s this: you don’t have to be perfect. Children don’t need perfect parents; they need adults who are curious, emotionally available and willing to keep showing up, even on the difficult days. Those moments of connection, repeated over time, are what help children feel safe, understood and able to thrive.
Visit the HJ Trauma Support website to find out more, and connect with Hayley on Facebook.
