KEY COMPETENCY 2.2 – CENTRE ME AND MY FAMILY
“I will approach interactions with a trauma-informed mindset to support children and their families.”
Trauma Informed and Responsive is the second competency under the ‘Centre Me and My Family’ Way of Working, and relates to the ‘design and delivery of services and supports‘ phase of the child’s early developmental support journey. It is important for:
Understanding Impact: Recognises the significant effects of trauma on children and families, equipping practitioners to identify and address effectively.
Promoting Safety: Prioritises emotional and physical safety, reducing anxiety and enabling children to engage fully in their development.
Empowering Families: Practitioners can support families in regaining control and advocating for their children’s needs, fostering resilience and collaboration.
Enhancing Service Delivery: Trauma-informed practices improve service quality by tailoring supports to individual experiences, leading to better outcomes.
Encouraging Holistic Support: This competency promotes a comprehensive view of care, addressing the social, emotional, and psychological aspects of well-being.
A trauma-informed response acknowledges the potential impacts of trauma on children and their families. It ensures that interactions, interventions, and care are sensitive to those experiences, focusing on creating a sense of safety, trust, empowerment, and collaboration.
Research highlights that trauma-informed care helps to prevent re-traumatisation, supports healing, and promotes an environment where children and families feel safe and supported .Trauma-informed care frameworks have been shown to improve outcomes for children with adverse childhood experiences (ACE). When practitioners are trauma-informed, they can tailor their interactions to support the emotional well-being of children and families.
Research and Further Reading:
Bath, H. (2008). The three pillars of trauma-informed care. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 17(3), 17-21.
COMPETENCY MILESTONES
I am able to:
Acknowledge and recognise traumatic circumstances and environments using empathic approaches.
Demonstrate understanding of trauma-informed principles in interactions with individuals and families.
Respond sensitively to signs of distress and adapt support strategies accordingly.
Seek regular supervision to discuss trauma-informed practices and ensure effective application in interactions.
I am able to:
Apply some trauma-informed principles in daily interactions and service delivery. Integrate knowledge of adversity and trauma to inform intervention strategies and support plans with support.
Recognise and respond to potential triggers to minimise re- traumatisation.
Engage empathetically with individuals affected by trauma, validating their experiences.
Seek supervision to reflect on the application of trauma-informed practices and address challenges or uncertainties.
I am able to:
Apply a wide range of trauma-informed practices to create safe and supportive environments for individuals and families.
Integrate knowledge of adversity and trauma to inform intervention strategies and support plans.
Train and mentor colleagues on trauma sensitivity and adversity awareness.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate holistic responses to trauma and adversity.
Advocate for policy changes to integrate trauma-informed approaches systemically.
Supervise and review complex cases, refine trauma-informed approaches, and enhance practice based on feedback and reflection.
I am able to:
Seek out emerging trauma-informed frameworks and models, implement relevant changes to own practice and support others to advance in their trauma sensitivity.
Influence systemic changes and policies to embed trauma-informed principles across services.
Collaborate with children, carers, practitioners, policy makers etc., to enhance trauma responsiveness and resilience-building initiatives.
Oversee supervision processes, providing guidance on trauma- informed care and supporting team members in addressing trauma- related challenges effectively.
Reflection questions are a valuable tool for practitioners, promoting self-awareness, critical thinking, continuous improvement, and stronger relationships in their work with children and families. Below are some reflection questions for Key Competency 2.2: Trauma Informed and Responsive:
Am I aware of potential trauma triggers for this child and family?
How am I creating a sense of safety in my interactions?
Have I reflected on how my own behaviour or language might affect a family with a trauma history?
Being trauma-informed means recognising the invisible struggles children and families may carry and ensuring that every interaction promotes safety, trust, and healing.
Access more information on the ChildKind Best Practice Framework with its 10 Ways of Working, 30 Key Competencies and 8 supporting Values and Behaviours here:
