Overview
Trauma is a state of emotional distress that happens when a person experiences an event or events where they are harmed, threatened or feel threatened. Trauma also describes the longer-term impacts of these events.3
People who have experienced significant trauma may have a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), although this may not have been diagnosed. It is important to note that trauma-informed practice should not rely solely on diagnosis, and trauma-informed services should provide a space where all people feel safe.
People with disability can be at greater risk of violence, abuse and neglect than people without disability, which greatly increases their risk of exposure to trauma. Trauma can have long-term physical and psychological effects on a person with disability.4 5
For some people who have experienced trauma, employment services may feel like part of “the system” that has hurt them before. This means that employment services should:
- understand how common trauma is for people with disability and how great the impact can be on their lives
- integrate knowledge of how trauma affects people into the design of their services and practice
- take active steps to ensure their service does not further traumatise people.6
Trauma-informed services are person-centred, responsive and sensitive to the experiences of people without being intrusive.
There is growing recognition of the need for a trauma-informed approach to disability employment services practice. Being trauma-informed in employment services is important because people are often required to undergo assessment processes where they may be asked to share personal and sensitive information. This might include talking about their history of mental health challenges, addiction or dependence issues or their contact with the justice system. It is important to minimise the level of intrusion from a service perspective so that people do not feel disempowered.
Key strategies for success
A trauma-informed practice approach ensures that people you are supporting feel safe, heard and understood. Key strategies to use are:
- prioritising the person’s physical and emotional safety by acknowledging their experiences
- operating in a transparent way – this means explaining what you are doing and why
- fostering peer support among people with lived experience of trauma
- sharing power with the person with disability and build a sense of collaboration
- supporting the person to make informed choices and decisions and respecting their capacity to make those decisions
- respecting people’s diversity and considering the intersectional experiences that impact their lives.7 8