These guidelines are supported by an agreed set of trauma-informed principles based on the Blue Knot Foundation model. Other trauma-informed models are equally useful, such as the Sanctuary Model.[1]
In the family violence context, it can be useful to adopt a trauma- and violence-informed approach, which expands the concept to ‘account for the intersecting impacts of systemic and interpersonal violence and structural inequities on a person’s life’.[2]
Trauma and violence-informed principles can be useful in underpinning reflective supervision.[3] Especially since many supervisees and supervisors have their own lived experience of trauma, or family or sexual violence and the impacts of inequality, discrimination and marginalisation. Talking with practitioners who have not experienced trauma and who benefit from privilege about the principles and impacts of trauma and violence is equally crucial.
A trauma- and violence-informed approach also assists supervisors and supervisees to have explicit conversations about the power dynamics that may impact their relationship.
This approach aligns with the Framework for trauma-informed practice,[4] which promotes reflective supervision as a key strategy in creating trauma-informed workplaces.
Table 2: Trauma-informed principles in practice adapted from the Blue Knot Practice Guidelines[5]
| Principle | What this looks like | Reflective questions |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Foster physical, psychological, identity and cultural safety in all interactions. | How does your organisation create safety for supervisees and supervisors? How can we create greater safety in our supervisory relationship? How can you create safer relationships with clients, colleagues and other professionals? |
| Trust | Invest in inclusive relationships that focus on mutual respect, dignity, and transparent, unbiased communication. | Does your organisation demonstrate trauma sensitivity and responsiveness at all levels of contact? How do you and your organisation convey reliability to the workforce and clients? |
| Choice | Provide freedom for supervisees and supervisors to align their approaches with their values and ethics. | How do you embed discussions about values and ethics during supervision? How does supervision provide choice for supervisees (and in turn clients) where it is available and appropriate? In what ways? |
| Collaboration | Share power and work in solidarity to support sustainability at a team, organisation, funding body and sector level. | How does your supervision style develop a sense of ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing to’? How can you collaborate better with clients and other professionals? |
| Empowerment | Develop individual and collective strengths by acknowledging each other’s contributions and feedback or feedforward for continuous learning and reflection. | Is empowering supervisees and clients an ongoing goal of supervision and your organisation? How is this goal enabled by supervision, service systems, programs and processes? How does supervision and your organisation enable cultural empowerment? |
| Respect for inclusion and diversity | Develop an awareness that attitudes, systems and structures can interact to create inequality and exclusion. Respect diversity that includes intersecting social characteristics such as but not limited to cultural background, Aboriginality, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, mental health, socioeconomic status, religion and disability. | How does supervision and your organisation convey and enact respect for workforce and client diversity in all its forms? In what ways? How does supervision and your organisation promote cultural safety? How do you know that you are practising with cultural safety and inclusion in mind? |
References
[1] Sanctuary Institute, Sanctuary model, Sanctuary Institute website, 2023, accessed 17 August 2023.
[2] CM Varcoe, CN Wathen, M Ford-Gilboe, V Smye and A Browne, VEGA briefing note on trauma- and violence-informed care, VEGA Project and PreVail Research Network, Ottawa, 2016, p 1, in Family Safety Victoria, MARAM practice guides: Foundation knowledge guide, Victoria Government website, 2021.
[3] Blue Knot Foundation, Trauma-informed services, Blue Knot website, 2019, accessed 1 March 2023.
[4] Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Framework for trauma-informed practice, DFFH website, 2022, accessed 27 February 2023.
[5] C Kezelman and P Stavropoulos, Practice Guidelines for treatment of complex trauma and trauma informed care and service delivery, Blue Knot Foundation, 2012.
Updated