Course Title: Work effectively in trauma informed care

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2025

Course Code: HWSS6091C

Course Title: Work effectively in trauma informed care

Important Information:

Please note that this course has compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching and assessment activities.

School: 535T Social Care and Health

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4425 - Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work

Course Contact: Fiona McLean

Course Contact Phone: 9925 4449

Course Contact Email: fiona.mclean2@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to practice and contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care within a service.

This unit applies to individuals working in the community services and health sectors where services are informed by the knowledge and understanding of central trauma, particularly the impact of interpersonal violence.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CHCMHS007 Work effectively in trauma informed care
Element:	1. Work from a trauma informed care perspective
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Apply the key principles and practices of trauma informed care 1.2 Promote safe environments and relationships with those affected by trauma, including preventing traumatisation and re-traumatisation in the context of service use 1.3 Respond to disclosures of past and current trauma or abuse using principles of trauma informed care 1.4 Respond to behaviours and distress related to trauma using principles of trauma informed care 1.5 Assist individuals affected by trauma to identify personal resources and strengths 1.6 Recognise the coping strategies and adaptations of individuals who have experienced trauma 1.7 Identify resources and strengths within individuals who have experienced trauma
Element:	2. Utilise self-care strategies
Performance Criteria:	2.1. Apply self-care strategies in managing re-traumatisation 2.2 Apply self-care strategies in managing vicarious trauma
Element:	3. Contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care in services
Performance Criteria:	3.1 Reflect upon own practice and work environment and identify opportunities to embed trauma informed care and practice in service delivery 3.2 Identify barriers to implementing trauma informed care and practice and refer to appropriate/senior personnel 3.3 Participate in organisation policy development on trauma informed care according to job role 3.4 Identify and participate in strategies to enhance service delivery of trauma informed care 3.5 Invite and respond to consumer feedback on trauma informed practices and service delivery

Learning Outcomes

This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to effectively in the above elements.

Details of Learning Activities

Week	Topic	Assessment due date
Week 1A	Work from a trauma informed care perspective What is trauma Grief and loss Trauma within mental health services PTSD Screening tools Interpersonal violence Key principles and practices of trauma informed care Underpinning legislation, frameworks, policies and procedures Duty of care Dignity of risk Effects of trauma Safe environments and relationships and preventing traumatisation and re-traumatisation: Re-traumatisation Sensory environment Re-traumatisation of consumers within services
Week 1B	Supporting disclosure Barriers to disclosure Responding to disclosure Respond to behaviours and distress The stress response and the body Trauma and development The impact of trauma on brain development Changes in brain regions The impact of trauma on the body The stress response and relationships – the role of attachment The impact of trauma on relationships Heightened distress Self Injury
Week 2A	Ongoing responses in the supportive relationship Supporting learning about trauma and its impacts Setting trauma-related recovery goals Building readiness and safety for specialist trauma work Increasing emotion and body awareness Recognise coping strategies and adaptations Identify resources and strengths within individuals Utilise self-care strategies Utilise self-care strategies Applying self-care strategies in managing re-traumatisation and vicarious trauma Developing your individual self-care plan Empathy Work on Assessment Task 3 - Professional Practice
Week 2B	Reflect upon own practice The principles of self-reflection Barriers to implementing trauma informed care and practice Power Dynamic between a worker and the consumer or carer Organisation policy development Enhance service delivery of trauma informed care Invite and respond to consumer feedback	Assessment Task 3 Due Sunday 27 July 2025
Week 3A	Review of content & Role Play Practice	Assessment Task 1 Due Sunday 3 August 2025
Week 3B	Assessment Task 2 – Role Plays
Week 4A	Assessment Task 2 - Role Plays
Week 4B	Assessment Task 2 - Role Plays	Assessment Task 2 Due Sunday 10 August 2025

Teaching Schedule

This unit will be held over six sessions; four sessions of content, one session for content review and role-play practice, and three sessions for in-class role play assessments (observations).

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Overview of Assessment

There are three individual assessment tasks consisting of short answer questions, role plays with a self reflection component as well as a self-care plan.

In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must be marked as satisfactory for each assessment task.

Students are allowed two submissions per assessment. Any further resubmissions is at the discretion of the teacher and coordinator.

Assessment tasks include:

Task 1: Knowledge assessment

Task 2: Role plays and self reflection

Task 3: Self-care plan

Assessment Tasks

Task 1 Knowledge Questions	Due Sunday 3 August
Task 2 Role plays and self-reflection	Due Sunday 10 August
Task 3 Self-care plan (professional practice)	Due Sunday 27 July

Assessment Matrix

See CANVAS shell for assessment matrix.

Other Information

You are required to attend a minimum of 80% of all classes to successfully complete each unit and all timetabled sessions. This will allow you to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring you the maximum opportunity to complete this course successfully.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview