Rethinking social work through the lens of trauma-informed practice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25128/2520-6230.25.3.11Keywords:
trauma-informed practice, trauma-informed approach in social work, professional training of social work professionals, traumaAbstract
The article provides a conceptual and critical analysis of trauma-informed practice in the field of social work, in particular in the context of Ukrainian socio-cultural transformations. Trauma-informed practice is considered not only as a tool of professional interaction, but also as an ethical and philosophical framework that changes the paradigm of care: from paternalistic to partnership, from reactive to proactive approach. The focus is on the six key principles of TIP – safety, transparency, collaboration, choice, cultural sensitivity and empowerment – and their local interpretation in the post-Soviet and military experience of Ukraine. Scientific research critically examines the universal principles of trauma-informed practice, emphasizing the need for their localized interpretation in the local context, and trauma-informed practice is considered not only as a set of interventions, but as an ethical paradigm that transforms the notion of care, power, identity and subjectivity in professional interaction. Based on theoretical sources and critical literature, the risk of superficial institutionalization of trauma-informed practice without changing power mechanisms is analyzed, which may level its transformative potential. The need for rethinking the role of the social worker as a carrier of ethical reflection, an intermediary between systems and the client, who acts not only according to protocols, but with an awareness of one's responsibility and influence, is substantiated. A vector for further research is proposed: development of localized models of trauma-informed practice, integration of knowledge about the trauma-informed approach into the training of future social work professionals, as well as a focus on changing power practices within organizations.
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