Trauma awareness training for South Australia Child Protection staff
Healing trauma (Take Two)
Berry Street Take Two recently completed trauma awareness training for South Australian Department of Child Protection (DCP) staff.
The large project involved employing a Take Two Clinical Practice Development Consultant in Adelaide, to work in collaboration with DCP staff to develop and deliver the training.
Trauma awareness training overview
The training was developed as three levels.
Level 1 is an online trauma-awareness training module for all DCP staff. It includes foundational concepts about how trauma impacts people, intergenerational trauma in First Nations communities, understanding behaviour as a symptom of trauma, the importance of self-regulation and vicarious trauma risks to workers.
Level 2 of the training is a face-to-face session with role plays and interactive activities. It covers topics including common survival responses during and after trauma, how trauma can impact people, including their emotions, thinking and everyday behaviour, trauma-aware interactions with clients and colleagues, co-regulation skills and understanding the effects of trauma on the workforce.
Level 3 training is specific to Child Protection practice staff and delves more deeply into the developmental impacts of trauma, trauma-aware assessments and interventions, using trauma-awareness when building relationships and working with caregivers, writing using trauma-aware language, and building resilience for practitioner self-care.
Take Two delivered 26 face-to-face sessions to a total of nearly 300 total DCP staff as part of this one-off project.
DCP will now take over the ongoing delivery of the training package using the materials created by Take Two including customised presentations, workbooks and online learning modules.
Take Two Clinical Practice Development Consultant Amy Bromley, who delivered the project, said the training was a milestone for DCP in responding to the effects of trauma on children, young people, families, carers, and staff.
'There is now global recognition that child protection systems need to have trauma awareness embedded in all components of the organisation to be effective in safeguarding children,’ she said.
As the training continues to be delivered, children and families across South Australia will benefit from more collaborative practice, evidence-based interventions, and an enhanced sense of safety.
‘This tailored training package caters to the diverse roles within DCP and provided learning about the impacts of trauma on policy development, staff turnover, family engagement in services, trauma aware writing, assessment and interventions.’
‘Feedback from staff shows that the project is effective not only in increasing knowledge, but in shifting attitudes, practices, and influencing strategic workforce development.’
About Take Two
Berry Street’s Take Two program is a therapeutic service helping address the developmental trauma and mental health impacts on children after abuse, neglect and family violence.
Take Two can provide specialist clinical consultancy services, including training to other organisations.
Helping children regulate their bodies and their minds
