Trauma Informed Care (TIC) is a system which can be used by social workers, healthcare and education staff, and anyone working with potential victims of trauma. It involves creating a holistic, supportive environment which helps individuals to recover from the impact of trauma. It doesn’t treat individual symptoms, but rather it gives staff the tools to make their whole practice more inclusive.
Why do we need trauma informed care?
Whether you work in a hospital, a GP surgery, a school, or a similar setting, trauma informed training, such as the course offered here https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/trauma-informed-practice-training, can give you the knowledge and skills to help everyone you’re supporting.
What are the principles of trauma informed care?
Trauma can take many shapes and has an impact on an individual’s physical, emotional, and psychological health. Feelings of depression or anger are common, as reported by Psychology Today. These can have a serious impact on how individuals react to services and support.
Trauma informed care is based on five key guiding principles which, when put together, create a positive relationship between staff and clients. This not only makes a better working situation for all but also empowers victims of trauma to help address their own needs. The five principles are:
-Safety: it’s important to meet people’s immediate physical and emotional needs. This could be through making your setting as welcoming as possible with comfortable seats and warm lighting.
-Trustworthiness: the professional and personal boundaries of both service users and staff should be respected, and both should know what is expected of them.
-Choice: clients are given a clear overview of their rights.
-Collaboration: clients and staff work together to make a plan outlining how the service will be delivered.
Empowerment: the individual’s feelings are validated whenever they have contact with your service.
Using trauma informed care skills
Learning about the key principles of trauma informed care is the first step to making a more inclusive environment. Trauma informed training not only gives you more information on its principles but also gives you practical ways that you can incorporate them into your work with others.
