ABSTRACT
In recent years there has been considerable focus on trauma within the health and community sectors. Increased research and public awareness of the effects of war, migration, violence, and sexual abuse have emphasised that this is warranted. However, though it has been argued in Australia that the status of trauma-informed work can be described as “enthusiastic” in terms of the level of interest across sectors, it has also been described as “emergent” with respect to service delivery principles and practice, “opaque” in that materials and models are not widely available, and “piecemeal” in that leadership is without coordination and model development is idiosyncratic (Quadara and Hunter, 2016). Determining reliable signposts and anchor points for practitioners in this context is crucial to ensuring both competent and ethical practice with vulnerable clients.
