Routine Enquiry about Childhood Adversity – A Key Pillar of Trauma-Informed Care
DUE TO HIGH DEMAND THIS IS A REPEAT OF OUR 19 JUNE SEMINAR
What it is, What it isn’t, and Why we can’t keep treating the symptoms and ignoring the cause
Thursday, 10 July, 2025, from 15.30 to 17.15 via Microsoft Teams
featuring Dr Warren Larkin | Founder & Managing Director | Warren Larkin Associates
The sentiment of Trauma-Informed Practice has been summed up as the shift away from asking, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ to asking, ‘What’s happened to you?’.
This is ironic when research indicates that routine enquiry about adverse childhood experiences is rare and inconsistent. Asking a help-seeking person about the things that might be contributing to their problems should be a feature of any assessment process.
However, the evidence suggests that this is far from the case, with practitioners receiving little or no training about how to ask, when to ask, or how to respond to a disclosure. Not surprisingly practitioners worry about getting it wrong, saying the wrong thing or ‘opening a can of worms.’
In contrast, studies of survivors tell us that they can spend decades in services where they receive ineffective or even harmful treatments designed to manage their symptoms, but ultimately, ignoring the cause. Studies have demonstrated that the human and economic cost of delayed disclosure and inappropriate care is enormous. The solution is simple: offer routine or targeted enquiry about past and current trauma and respond therapeutically.
Due to high demand this is a repeat of our 19th June event. In this free extended seminar we will explore the research evidence and case for change, survivor and professional perspectives on the barriers to disclosure, and why the fear of opening a ‘Can of Worms’ is more myth than reality. Attendees will take away knowledge and practical insights about what constitutes best practice and consider the process of implementing routine or targeted enquiry in services.
This event will be held online via Microsoft Teams from 15.30 to 17.15. For further details or to request your free seminar place on Eventbrite please click here
PLEASE NOTE that places are limited so please ensure you can attend before booking. You must also be an Academy member in order to attend any events. If you are not yet a member you will be prompted to join when registering to attend this event.