A Case for TIC: A Complex Adaptive Systems Enquiry for Trauma Informed Care

Abstract

Trauma Informed Care (TIC) is an approach to human services based on the understanding that most people in contact with services are more likely to have experienced some level of trauma, adversity and loss and this understanding needs to be held by those involved so that it is may permeate service relationships and delivery. This article reviews TIC literature and introduces a case example outlining the successes and challenges of TIC implementation in practice, i.e. staff awareness, knowledge and skills, communication and quality of human interaction, wellbeing and resilience, organisational structures and artefact, measurement and monitoring for success. Insights from complexity and interpersonal neurobiology are interpreted in the context of facilitating TIC implementation, i.e. parallel safe-to-fail interventions, managing constraints and boundary conditions, monitoring change through trusted sensor networks, maintaining awareness development practices