Late last year the NHS updated its working definition of trauma-informed practice, detailing six key tenets to a trauma-informed approach, take a look at our breakdown of them below:
Trauma-informed practice refers to an approach which is grounded in the understanding that trauma exposure can impact an individual’s neurological, biological, psychological and social development. As such it is important to have processes and training in place that allows organisations and staff to be receptive to the needs of trauma survivors and avoid situations which are potentially uncomfortable or triggering.
Safety
The physical and emotional safety of clients is prioritised by:
- Service users knowing they are safe or requesting what they need in order to feel safe
- Ensuring adequate freedom from threat or harm
- The organisation making an effort to prevent re-traumatisation
- Putting robust policies and safeguarding practices in place
Trustworthiness
An organisation’s policies and procedures are both transparent and clearly communicated, with the intention of building trust among staff, service users and the surrounding community, by:
- the organisation explaining the measures it has taken and why
- the organisation and staff actioning what they have said they will do
- employing clear expectations and avoiding either the staff or the organisation overpromising and underdelivering
Choice
Service users are given sufficient choice and supported in shared decision-making goal setting to determine the infrastructure they need to heal, by:
- ensuring service users and staff have a voice in the decision-making process of the organisation and its services
- listening to the needs of service users and staff
- clearly and transparently communicating choices
- acknowledging that those who have experienced or are experiencing trauma may feel a lack of safety or control which can cause difficulties in developing trusting relationships
Collaboration
Staff and service user experience is utilised to overcome challenges and improve the system as a whole, by:
- using peer support and mutual self-help
- the organisation asking service users and staff what they need and working together to implement these changes where possible
- focusing on working alongside and actively involving service users in the delivery of services
Empowerment
Efforts are made to share power and making service users and staff an integral part of decision-making, at both individual and organisational level, by:
- validating concerns and feelings of staff and service users
- listening to what someone wants and/or needs
- supporting both staff and service users to make decisions and take action
- acknowledging that those who have experienced or are experiencing trauma may feel powerless to control what happens to them, isolated by their experiences and have feelings of low self-worth
Cultural consideration
Move past cultural stereotypes and biases based on, for example, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, geography, race or ethnicity by:
- having access to gender responsive services
- incorporating the healing value of traditional cultural connections
- utilising policies, protocols and processes that are responsive to the needs of the individual served