Experiences of gender-responsive trauma-informed care among female youth in deep-end residential group care facilities

Abstract

Over the past two decades, research on trauma and adversity and the implementation of trauma-informed care (TIC) has become established in social work, psychiatry, and other helping professions. Girls assigned to restricted out-of-home placements by legal order who use social services frequently have a history of childhood trauma. Whereas the extant literature has examined gender-responsive TIC among victimized women, it has barely addressed educational-rehabilitative work with girls placed in deep-end juvenile facilities. The present study aims to fill this gap by responsive gender-responsive practices of a unique gender-responsive and trauma-informed placement for adolescent girls.The research method was based on threefold database including observations, semi-structured interviews with girls and staff, and drawing data from ongoing documentation of the work in the placement as was documented by the staff.Findings refine eight principles of gender-responsive TIC: relationships, safety, empowerment and voice, trustworthiness, and transparency, perceiving maladaptive behaviors as useful survival skills, peer support, removing social barriers, and reducing re-traumatization.The article proposes a framework set of principles for gender-responsive trauma-informed care and discusses theoretical and practical implementations that are essential for future policies regarding professional work with adolescent girls in deep-end placements. Discussion rises the need for a new refining of guidelines coherent and holistic model for creating gender-sensitive trauma-informed care when working with adolescent girls who experienced adverse childhood events. Studies using controlled designs might examine the effects of such a framework by developing guidelines and action principles as a basis for fostering standardized training for professionals who work with adolescent girls in extreme social exclusion.