What Next for Trauma Informed Care? Evolving and Enhancing Our Practice. Lessons Gained From a Churchill Fellowship
Tracks
Ballroom 2 - In Person Only
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 |
2:15 PM - 2:35 PM |
Overview
Nicola Palfrey, Headspace National
Speaker
Ms Nicola Palfrey
Head Of Clinical Leadership
headspace National
What Next for Trauma Informed Care? Evolving and Enhancing Our Practice. Lessons Gained From a Churchill Fellowship
Abstract
Trauma informed practices are not new, nor complicated. However, they remain stubbornly difficult to implement and sustain at a whole of community level. Throughout my Churchill Fellowship travels I was exposed to individuals, organisations and communities with absolute commitment to improving the outcomes of the most vulnerable children and young people. There is no silver bullet. No one practice, policy or training can address the wicked problem of childhood trauma and adversity. However, there are many lessons to be learnt and improvements to be made in Australia. A concerted effort to systemically commit to and prioritise this work, train and support our health and education workforces, address our reticence to acknowledge that children are suffering and commit to ongoing improvement in the way we approach these issues is essential
Training in trauma informed care needs to be further evolved and refined to address current challenges in practice. It needs to focus on the development of specific skills and call out the practices of adults that are contributing to harm. The training needs to:
○ Equip adults to notice when they are prioritising their own needs above those of children i.e. by avoidance or wanting to avoid discomfort
○ Develop or refine skills in how to listen, relate and respond appropriately to the sharing of experiences from others
○ Develop the skills and nuanced understanding of a relational approach. How to form and develop meaningful, genuine and respectful relationships whilst maintaining appropriate boundaries. Professionalism can not be used as a mask for poor practice.
○ Notice when fear or risk aversion is driving you or others towards rigid, authoritarian and non-relational behaviours.
○ Develop assertiveness skills to advocate for the right and best practices of trauma informed care - even in the face of resistance.
Training in trauma informed care needs to be further evolved and refined to address current challenges in practice. It needs to focus on the development of specific skills and call out the practices of adults that are contributing to harm. The training needs to:
○ Equip adults to notice when they are prioritising their own needs above those of children i.e. by avoidance or wanting to avoid discomfort
○ Develop or refine skills in how to listen, relate and respond appropriately to the sharing of experiences from others
○ Develop the skills and nuanced understanding of a relational approach. How to form and develop meaningful, genuine and respectful relationships whilst maintaining appropriate boundaries. Professionalism can not be used as a mask for poor practice.
○ Notice when fear or risk aversion is driving you or others towards rigid, authoritarian and non-relational behaviours.
○ Develop assertiveness skills to advocate for the right and best practices of trauma informed care - even in the face of resistance.
Biography
Nicola Palfrey is a Clinical Psychologist and researcher who has extensive experience working both clinically and in system roles to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. In her current role as Head of Clinical Practice at headspace National she works to ensure that the needs of young people are met in ways that are clinically and culturally safe, while respecting and celebrating their unique talents and perspectives and capacities. Nicola recently completed a Churchill Fellowship investigating how to make childhood trauma and adversity a public health issue.
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