Trauma-informed practice is an approach which is grounded in the understanding that trauma exposure can impact an individual’s neurological, biological, psychological and social development. Being trauma-informed means assuming that people are more likely than not to have a history of traumatic experiences and that these experiences may impact on their ability to feel safe within or develop trusting relationships with services and their staff, or their ability to live happy and fulfilled lives within their communities.
Trauma-informed practice is not designed to treat trauma-related difficulties. It seeks to remove the barriers that those affected by trauma can experience when accessing care and services by using the principles of trauma-informed practice: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment and inclusivity.
Trauma-informed approaches have become increasingly cited in policy and adopted in practice as a means for reducing the negative impact of traumatic experiences and supporting mental and physical health outcomes.
In England there has been a lack of consensus across the health and social care sector, education and criminal justice on how trauma-informed practice is defined, what the key principles are and how it can be built into services and systems.
The Government Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has sought to address this lack of consensus by providing a Working definition of trauma-informed practice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
This has been developed for practitioners working in the health and care sector and reflects the original internationally recognised definition developed by the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The evidence base exploring the use of trauma-informed practice in different settings and sectors is still being developed.
Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as harmful or life threatening. While unique to the individual, generally the experience of trauma can cause lasting adverse effects on mental, physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being.
Realise that trauma can affect individuals, groups and communities
Trauma-informed practice is an approach which is grounded in the understanding that trauma exposure can impact an individual’s neurological, biological, psychological and social development.
Recognise the signs, symptoms and widespread impact of trauma
Trauma-informed practice aims to increase practitioners’ awareness of how trauma can negatively impact on individuals and communities, and their ability to feel safe or develop trusting relationships with services and staff.
It aims to improve the accessibility and quality of services by creating culturally sensitive, safe services that people trust and want to use. It seeks to prepare practitioners to work in collaboration and partnership with people and empower them to make choices about their health and wellbeing.
Trauma-informed practice acknowledges the need to see beyond an individual’s presenting behaviours and to ask, ‘What does this person need?’ or ‘what has happened to this person?’ rather than ‘What is wrong with this person?’.
Prevent re-traumatisation
It seeks to avoid re-traumatisation which is the re-experiencing of thoughts, feelings or sensations experienced at the time of a traumatic event or circumstance in a person’s past. Re-traumatisation is generally triggered by reminders of previous trauma which may or may not be potentially traumatic in themselves.
The purpose of trauma-informed practice is not to treat trauma-related difficulties, which is the role of trauma-specialist services and practitioners. Instead, it seeks to address the barriers that people affected by trauma can experience when accessing health and care services.