DELIVERING TRAUMA-AWARE AND HEALING-INFORMED CARE

DELIVERING TRAUMA-AWARE AND HEALING-INFORMED CARE- OPERATIONAL STAFF SESSION
Practical approaches for safer, more respectful and supportive interactions

Introduction
Older people may have experienced trauma, loss, discrimination, abuse, institutional harm or other significant life experiences that can influence how they experience and engage with aged care.
Trauma-aware and healing-informed care helps staff understand these experiences and respond in ways that promote safety, trust, dignity, choice and empowerment.
This practical and interactive session will introduce trauma-aware and healing-informed care in clear, practical language and provide strategies staff can apply in everyday interactions with older people and their families.

Aged Care Quality Standards
This session supports practice aligned with:
Standard 1: The Individual
Supporting dignity, rights, choice, autonomy, safety and culturally safe care.
Standard 2: The Organisation
Embedding trauma-aware practice through leadership, workforce capability, systems, policies and organisational culture.
Standard 3: The Care and Services
Supporting person-centred, responsive and safe care throughout the client journey

What will we explore?
✓ Understanding trauma-aware care
What trauma-aware and healing-informed care means and why it matters in aged care.
✓ Safety, trust and respect
Understanding how trauma can influence communication, behaviour, boundaries and engagement.
✓ Choice, consent and control
Practical ways to support autonomy, choice and participation in everyday care.
✓ Trauma-aware communication
Strategies for responding to distress, frustration, withdrawal, heightened emotions and challenging interactions.
✓ Avoiding re-traumatisation
Recognising how everyday practices and interactions can unintentionally cause distress and what staff can do differently.
✓ Trauma and diversity
Understanding how trauma can intersect with culture, racism, disability, family violence, institutional harm, LGBTIQA+ experiences, grief and other life experiences.
✓ Looking after yourself
Understanding boundaries, seeking support and recognising when a situation needs to be escalated.

Attendees will come away with:
✓ A practical understanding of trauma-aware and healing-informed care.
✓ Greater confidence in recognising how trauma may influence behaviour, communication and engagement.
✓ Practical strategies to build safety, trust, choice and empowerment.
✓ Skills to communicate more effectively during distress or challenging interactions.
✓ Greater awareness of how to avoid unintentionally re-traumatising clients.
✓ A clearer understanding of professional boundaries, seeking support and escalation.

Who should attend
Frontline care and support workers | Personal care workers | Community care workers | Allied health and nursing staff | Social support workers | Other operational staff working directly with older people

Where
The Angliss Conference Centre
555 La Trobe St, Melbourne

Catering: Morning Tea and Lunch

Facilitator:
Dale Park
Diversity Training Constancy