There is no aspect of child protection that is not linked to trauma, often in complex and multiple ways. Child protection concerns tend to be cases of intergenerational trauma being passed on in real-time. At the moment, being trauma-informed tends to mean that there is an understanding that the child is likely to have experienced trauma and that this can be the cause of challenging behaviour and reactions. However, it goes much further than this. Parents (or other caregivers) almost always provide their children with the best care they are capable of. The problem is not unwillingness, but inability or lack of capacity almost always stemming from their own trauma or traumatic circumstances. Child abuse and neglect, substance abuse, and domestic violence do not happen because caregivers think it would be a fun thing to do, they are trauma reactions.
The Current Situation
Currently, child protection reform is generally understood as a move from residential to family-based alternative care and a need to build strong gatekeeping mechanisms. Moreover, many see it as something that needs to happen ‘over there, in the global South.’ Because ‘over here’ the system works – if you overlook the fact that very high percentages of those in prisons, in addiction clinics or living on the street grew up in the alternative care system -, it just needs some fine-tuning and minor improvements. In this fine-tuning, the increasing trend of adding trauma-informed practices is seen as a breakthrough and major improvement (don’t get me wrong, I’m not disputing that this is certainly a lot better than not having them).
In addition, child protection is focused on symptom management in the form of behavioural change, instead of addressing root causes. This limited approach leads to the same children and families coming back again and again with similar or worse problems. While identifying and addressing root causes would enable really closing ‘the case.’
The Way Forward
The child protection reform that is needed absolutely everywhere is a foundational shift in how every aspect of a case is viewed. Not just a trauma-informed approach, but a trauma-proactive approach – meaning actively assessing for underlying trauma when families are struggling and addressing it if identified. Advocating for and working towards this child protection reform is a major part of my work now. I invite those interested in implementing trauma-proactive child protection reform to contact me, at [email protected], to discuss how we can work together on it.
In the blogs, you can find more detailed information about my thoughts and plans. Particularly HERE. In the Web Shop, you can find the book that was the starting point of this initiative: Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions: A training manual for caseworkers.