Ready or Not Here it Is: On Becoming Trauma Informed in Responding to Trauma and Promoting Resilience with Children and their Families

Helping professionals are actively forging the way for a new era of trauma informed practice in working with children, families and communities. Statistics show that the majority of children receiving psycho-social services have experienced life adversities and levels of trauma that require intervention. This includes their parents who may also have trauma histories. These traumas are often undisclosed but need to be assumed and acknowledged by service providers, so that clients are not inadvertently re-traumatized.

The foundation of trauma informed practice rests on primary principals of: working collaboratively with clients; developing safety and building trust; focusing on empowerment and; utilizing client strengths. The approach is also highly compatible with an anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory approach. This presentation will delve into ways to incorporate a trauma informed framework, shift organizational culture and means to determine if a trauma informed approach is actually being practiced. This then creates opportunities for fostering resilience after trauma.

Trauma informed practice is inherently equipped to promote resilience as suggested by a strong body of emerging research. Resilience also cannot be assumed but needs to be consciously promoted through evidence informed methods which will be reviewed. The presentation will close with audience discussion of practice challenges and successes

Bio: Dr. Ramona Alaggia is a social work professor at the University of Toronto where she teaches family violence and treatment, and policies for practice with children. Her book “Cruel but Not Unusual: Violence in Canadian Families” is used in universities across Canada. Ramona’s integration of research into practice is driven by her clinical experience in trauma and resilience. Her research in gender-based violence is centered on child sexual abuse and domestic violence disclosures, structural and systemic barriers, and resilience promotion after trauma. She is now running a large national study on the #MeToo movement impacts on sexual violence disclosures.

This event will be co-hosted by Children 1st and Dr Alaggia will be introduced by the Chief Executive, Mary Glasgow.

Please note: this talk may be filmed and/or photographed.

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