Bipolar disorder is a chronic mood disorder that most commonly affects people in late adolescence or early adulthood. Few studies have been conducted on the effects of childhood traumatic events on the disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between early traumatic events and the clinical and functional outcomes of bipolar disorder twelve months after patients’ first manic episode. Clinical and research files from 65 patients treated at ORYGEN Youth Health were utilised to identify any traumatic experiences or stressful life events. Outcomes were determined by the use of the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, Quality of Life Scale and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV TR. All patients were aged between 15-29 years, and had been diagnosed with either bipolar disorder-with psychotic features or schizoaffective disorder- bipolar type. The results showed no significant difference in patients with early traumatic experiences and patients without early traumatic experiences in relation to functional or symptomatic outcomes of bipolar disorder. While a number of study limitations were discussed, the results indicate no differences in the clinical and functional outcomes in this bipolar patient sample based on their experience of childhood trauma.