Trauma-informed care: using trauma awareness to enhance everyday practice (CPD31)
Join our experts for an overview of the basis, rationale and principles of trauma-informed care
Trauma-informed care (TIC) has rapidly become a high priority across the health and social care sector. Trauma-informed care is an approach to service delivery that recognises both the prevalence and impact of trauma within service users. It has come to prominence alongside the increased interest in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their association with increased physical and psychological morbidity, and reduced life chances.
The health and social care sector in particular is recognising the potential benefits of enhanced trauma-awareness among the workforce in delivering safe and effective services.
This online course provides an overview of the basis, rationale and principles of trauma-informed care. It provides an understanding of the breadth of applications across sectors as well as an appreciation of this as an evolving field that is open to interpretation and misconception.
The course will focus on areas of particular relevance to frontline practitioners working in any health or social support sector to increase confidence in understanding and responding to the impact of trauma upon service users.
Aims and learning objectives
This course will help you to:
- broaden your understanding of trauma, including complex trauma and developmental adaptation to trauma
- deepen your understanding of the impact of trauma on individuals and the implications for service delivery and practice
- develop your ability to look at service provision and practice through a trauma informed lens
- start to develop your practice in line with trauma informed principles
- build confidence in actively contributing to a trauma informed culture within the organisation
- consider the individual, interpersonal and systemic barriers to sustaining a trauma-informed stance
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for frontline practitioners working with vulnerable adults.
Practitioners may be involved in clinical work, support work or key-working within settings such as:
- health
- social care
- housing
- forensic
- domestic abuse services
- other public or voluntary support services
Course details
The next course will run on the following dates:
Sessions | Date | Start time | End time |
---|---|---|---|
Session 1/2 | Next dates to be confirmed shortly – please register your interest to be informed when they are available. | 9.30am | 4pm |
Session 2/2 | 9.30am | 4pm |
This course will be delivered remotely using Zoom.
You will need a device with a microphone and camera together with a suitably fast internet connection. Although mobile devices and tablets can be used, we recommend the use of a laptop or desktop PC for the best experience. Some devices provided by employers may have restrictions in place. Please use this Zoom test link to check your set up before booking.
You will be sent the necessary login link about a week before the course start date. Should you have any concerns about the accessibility of remote delivery please contact us to discuss how we can best help you.
The course is divided into four key areas.
1. Trauma, complex trauma and service delivery
This section looks at how our understanding of psychological trauma has evolved over the past century and the implications this has had for survivors. We will consider the interest in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the criticisms and cautions, as well as looking at other evidence linking trauma with psychosocial outcomes. We will explore the argument that services need to evolve their practices to avoid causing further harm, promote engagement and create a safe context for healing and recovery.
We will cover:
- our evolving understanding of trauma and adversity
- the prevalence and impact of adverse life experiences
- a critical review of ACEs
- how complex trauma manifests in our services
2. Trauma-informed care in context
This section will cover the core principles of trauma-informed care and how these relate to the psychological processes described in the previous section. We will consider this whole service approach and how these principles might be applied by different practitioners, organisations and sectors. We will look at the varied way in which trauma-informed care has been interpreted and applied and consider some of the misconceptions emerging in this field.
We will cover:
- the core principles of trauma-informed care
- the rationale for being trauma informed
- promoting culture shift across practitioners and organisations
- various applications of trauma-informed care
- common misconceptions
3. Promoting engagement through trauma awareness
This section will explore some key impacts of trauma that are of particular relevance to frontline practitioners working in any sector. We will look at how these psychological processes impact functioning, clinical presentation and engagement. We will consider the importance of emotional and relational safety across all aspects of service provision.
We will cover:
- trauma’s fundamental impact on mind and body
- emotional regulation and the window of tolerance
- threat focus and the impact on appraisals
- self-protective responses to triggers
- emotional foundations for effective interventions
4. Tools for trauma-informed practitioners
This section further explores how trauma affects communication between professionals and service users. We will also consider how professionals’ own predispositions and unconscious biases can cause blind spots and ruptures in relationships. We will consider how a trauma-informed approach can support practitioners to be responsive and reflective when working with survivors of trauma. We will consider the potential barriers to retaining a trauma-informed stance.
We will cover:
- the importance of communication and connection in creating safety
- supporting emotional regulation
- reframing frustrating behaviours
- looking at our practice through a trauma-informed lens
- recognising our own triggers and biases
- staying trauma informed
Testimonials
Course facilitators
Register your interest
Bookings are now closed. Register your interest to join our waiting list and be the first to hear when this course reopens.