Trauma Informed Care

Trauma-informed Care (TIC) has been increasingly discussed, promoted and implemented across child care services in the last decade as high rates of trauma and adversity have been recognised. Children and young people who reside in children’s residential homes have often experienced significant trauma and adversity. These experiences can have a profound and lasting impact on a young person’s physical, emotional, social and neurological development. Adopting a trauma-informed approach is, therefore, essential for effectively supporting and caring for children and young people in residential settings. It ensures that staff understand the effects of trauma and that they can respond in ways that promote healing and avoid re-traumatisation.

What is Trauma-Informed Practice?

Trauma-informed practice acknowledges the widespread impact of trauma. Its fundamental principles include safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. By prioritising trauma-informed care, residential children’s homes can better meet the complex and diverse needs of the young people in their care. This approach equips staff with the skills, knowledge and strategies to build trusting relationships, provide emotionally attuned support, and implement trauma-sensitive and trauma-responsive systems, policies and practices which lead to improved outcomes for children and young people.

Trauma-informed residential homes have a number of benefits for both young people and care staff. For example:

· They help to prevent young people from being re-traumatised

This is important, as re-traumatisation can have a negative impact on a young person’s well-being and can prevent them from seeking further professional support.

· It can help to reduce staff burnout

Creating a trauma-informed environment can ensure that staff feel valued and listened to. This can improve staff well-being and positively impact staff turnover rates.

· It can lead to greater job satisfaction for residential care staff

Staff who have access to appropriate specialist support and training feel better equipped to support young people impacted by trauma.

· It ensures young people feel safe and leads to improved child-carer relationships.

This increases engagement with support, reduces challenging behaviours in young people, and positively affects service outcomes.

· It helps young people feel empowered and in control, which promotes the development of healthy coping and resilience.