Children who have experienced complex developmental trauma are likely to experience its effects in various areas of their life across the lifespan. Therefore, it is important how professionals with whom children collaborate with in child welfare system respond and that they provide an adequate support. Furthermore, it is important that we are seeking to create a sensitive, effective and sustainable child welfare system that provides a continuous support for children and families. Trauma-informed care (also trauma-informed practices or trauma-informed approach) was created as a holistic answer for engaging with people with trauma experience. In the theoretical part of the dissertation I introduce the field of child protection at social work centres in Slovenia, I define complex developmental trauma, its effects and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) studies, results of which show the correlation between the number of adverse childhood experiences and its various, life-long effects. I discuss different adverse experiences that children in child welfare system are often exposed to such as violence, maltreatment, abuse, as well as exposure to re-traumatization in child welfare system. I focus on trauma-informed care and discuss its implementation in the field of child protection. Finally, I write about secondary traumatization among social workers in the field of child protection.
The second part of the bachelor's thesis is the presentation of the qualitative research, in which I was interested to learn how social workers in the field of child protection at social work centres in Slovenia recognise trauma or potentially adverse, traumatic experiences in children, families or caused by child welfare system. I wanted to find out which skills and knowledge about trauma and resiliency help social workers when working with children and families and which skills and knowledge is required. My focus was to find out to what extent social workers know and use trauma-informed approach at work, to what extent current practices in the field of child protection correspond with trauma-informed practices and where there is space for improvements. Lastly, I wanted to learn how social workers experience and cope with secondary traumatization.
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