Trauma-awareness and trauma-informed practice are increasingly at the heart of a fair justice system. This course is designed for all solicitors working with people, no matter their practice area (whether it’s criminal law, family and child law, personal injury, succession and estate planning, conveyancing etc.) and is suitable for all levels of expertise. In becoming trauma-informed, you will learn to recognise the impact of trauma in those you work for and with, and to be able to practice in a way that does no further harm, supports recovery and is most effective and efficient for people affected by trauma. Just as importantly, you will understand the ways that you can adapt your approach to legal practice and communication skills to take account of the impact of trauma in order to work effectively with colleagues and clients, including minimising the risks of re-traumatisation while also preserving your own wellbeing against vicarious trauma.
Learning outcomes:
- Identify and understand the range of different events that can have traumatic and/or adverse effects on people, and the buffers that can mitigate the effects of traumatic events.
- Understand the links between exposure to toxic and traumatic stress in early life and in adulthood, and increased later likelihood of coming into contact with or requiring legal services as victim, witness, or accused.
- Learn about the likely prevalence of the experience of different kinds of trauma in different areas of law.
- Understand how to minimize the risk of re-traumatisation and how to protect your own wellbeing against vicarious trauma.
- Understand the ways that exposure to traumatic events can have significant impact on ways of relating to others later in life, and the importance of taking this into account to create safe and effective relationships with your clients.
- Learn how to adapt your client engagement and communication skills to positively inform and manage your client-relations.
20 hours verifiable CPD
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