The Trauma Responsive System Framework (available in several formats) outlines a system-wide approach to building trauma-responsive capacity. It is designed to enable people to respond to trauma in an informed way across each level of the Child and Family Support System (CFSS).
Six trauma-responsive principles form the basis of the framework:
- Trustworthiness
- Safety
- Peer and community support
- Collaboration
- Empowerment and self-determination
- Know yourself and learn.
These principles are to be applied across the whole system, encouraging us all to consider how we might apply trauma-responsive principles at each level of our system — at the family, practitioner, organisational and funder levels.
In doing this we commit to building a system that does not retraumatise, or further traumatise, the children and families it was created to support.
Publications
Emerging Minds Focus - Building our Trauma Responsive Capacity
To support the implementation of the Trauma Responsive System Framework, an organisational capacity-building tool is available called Emerging Minds Focus. Focus brings together several initiatives to support systems-thinking on trauma responsiveness and is available for practitioners, organisations, and funders.
Access Emerging Minds Focus.
Contact the Focus team
Trauma-Responsive System Framework and Emerging Minds (CFSS) Focus Orientation video
DHS 1686 Trauma FW Focus Tool 2023 (51mins)
How to set up an account and use the tool.
Culturally responsive and trauma-responsive training
Yaitya Mingkamingka Purrutiapinthi (Aboriginal Trauma Healing)
This two-day training program supports culturally responsive and trauma-responsive practice. It is designed specifically for Intensive Family Services (IFS) practitioners in the CFSS and for the South Australian Aboriginal Community context.
The training incorporates the Trauma Responsive System Framework principles, stimulates self-reflection, increases awareness to address cultural bias and racism, and enhances trauma responsive practice.
DHS has funded Tauondi Aboriginal College, Aboriginal Family Support Services, and KWY Aboriginal Corporation to deliver this training. KWY use the term Trauma Informed Culturally Responsive (TICR) training.
More information
- Information about the training — please contact the training organisations directly.
- CFSS funded Intensive Family Services and Strong Families Strong Communities Providers – email Stephanie Mudie
- DHS Safer Family Services – email Jane Haley
Trauma Responsiveness videos
Lived Experience involvement and views on trauma responsiveness: videos
The CFSS Lived Experience Network (LEN) played a central role in the development of the Framework. In videos, members explain their involvement and their views on what it means to be trauma-responsive, and why the Framework is so important.
The videos are provided here to promote the Framework and start discussions about trauma-responsive practice across the system.
- Lived Experience Network: What do you expect from a Trauma Responsive Practitioner? (YouTube 4.26 mins)
- Lived Experience Network: How were you involved in the Trauma Responsive System Framework? (YouTube 5.37 mins)
- Lived Experience Network: What can get in the way of a trusting relationship with practitioners? (YouTube 4.18 mins)
- Lived Experience Network: How can peer and community supports help families to heal from trauma? (YouTube 5.49 mins)
- Lived Experience Network: Why do you think a Trauma Responsive System Framework is important? (YouTube 7.14 mins)
Child Protection and Intensive Family Services Learning Pathway
The Child Protection and Intensive Family Support Learning Pathway is a package of e-learning courses developed by Emerging Minds.
The courses are designed to build knowledge of child mental health and the opportunities to improve child outcomes. Each takes a practice-based learning approach and is tailored to match the specific sector challenges.
Child protection and intensive family support learning pathway - Emerging Minds Learning (PDF 94 KB)
For more information visit Emerging Minds Learning.
The Common Elements pages holds other resources supporting trauma-responsive practice.
Background
The need to embed trauma responsiveness to create a healing system was identified in the codesign process for the Child and Family Support System (CFSS) Reform.
Together with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander System Design Criteria and Codesign principles, the Trauma-responsive system framework forms the basis of ‘Our Healing Approach’ to the reform journey, which is summarised in the Roadmap for Reform.
The development of the Framework was led by Sean Lappin and Dana Shen in collaboration with DHS and informed by evidence and stakeholders from diverse agencies and backgrounds, including people with lived experience.
Taking a whole-of-system approach to building trauma-responsive capacity means that all those involved in the system work together to get better at responding to trauma, wherever it presents.