Trauma Responsive Practice in Youth Justice

Learn to understand and use brain-based trauma-informed practice in youth justice, including custodial and community corrections services. 

Youth justice systems across Australia are grappling with balancing their role in supporting young people with meeting community expectations about managing and responding to their behaviour.  The evidence is clear that the majority of children and young people in youth justice settings have experienced forms of complex and/or developmental trauma. As such, trauma informed approaches have significant validity in both custodial and community services.  In particular, youth justice services can be critical in providing a unique opportunity for the implementation of trauma informed interventions that are grounded in principles of consistency and predictability.

This workshop provides an overview of the research regarding the neurobiology of developmental trauma and applies principles and strategies specific to responding within youth justice contexts. 

All training sessions delivered by the Australian Childhood Foundation are facilitated by members of our Therapeutic Services and Professional Education Services teams.  These staff members are qualified and experienced professionals who are engaging in trauma informed practice with children, young people and families across Australia.  Training team members draw on their practice wisdom and current experiences to contextualise the training content to practice challenges and successes.  They are able to link the theory and research to the therapeutic reach of the organisation’s programs throughout each training program.