Trauma-informed approach: relevance for ukrainian social work

Abstract

The trauma-informed approach, the concept of «trauma-informed practice» – is relevant to the social sphere of European countries, particularly social work. At the same time, for the Ukrainian social sphere in wartime conditions, concepts such as «trauma», «acute stress reaction» (ASR), «posttraumatic stress disorder» (PTSD), and others have become relevant, which is related to the threats of psychological traumatization of the population. The trauma-informed approach is highly demanded and promising for Ukrainian social work practice. The aim of the publication is to briefly present the results of the study on the essence and main principles of practice based on the trauma-informed approach (trauma-informed practice), the relevance, and projects of trauma-informed social work in Ukraine under wartime conditions.

In the international scientific discourse, there are studies on the trauma-informed approach, trauma-informed practice; conceptual documents from organizations in the medical and social spheres that represent the essence and main principles of this approach. Studies have documented the impact of traumatic events on the disruption of the nervous and immune systems, subsequent behaviors that are dangerous to health, chronic physical or behavioral disorders. SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma (USA) is as follows: «Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being».

The results of the analysis regarding trauma-informed social work practice in Ukraine indicate existing experience in trauma-informed youth work (within the framework of the Council of Europe project «Youth for Democracy in Ukraine»); the existence of developed medical protocols, practical resources related to the issue of training courses, particularly in psychosocial support of youth in wartime conditions. However, in our opinion, theoretical foundations and methodological developments of trauma-informed social work are insufficient in Ukrainian social work theories. Nevertheless, such practice responds to social challenges, contributes to the implementation of the «research in action» approach, which allows social workers and other professionals to respond flexibly to social needs.