A Guide to Trauma-Regulated Social Work with Children

This book critically examines the effectiveness of the United Kingdom's child and family social work structures and proposes the integration of a trauma-informed approach to improve current social work practice. The authors argue that current government policies, theoretical frameworks, and practices contribute to structural inefficiencies leaving vulnerable children and families without the support they so desperately need. Drawing on evidence-based research, this book advocates for a trauma-focused, family-centred approach, focusing on interventions that are framed around national and international guidelines to emphasise prevention and healing over crisis management. This call-to-action book provides social workers, policymakers, caregivers, and legal professionals with a roadmap towards reform and bridges the gap between public perception and professional practice to foster a trauma-informed approach.

Rachel Fairhurst is the CEO and founder of the Trauma Regulation Board (TRB), the United Kingdom's first dedicated regulatory body for trauma-informed practice, currently undergoing Professional Standards Authority review. Her work combines neuroscience, strategic operational governance, and advanced trauma cluster mapping to reform how trauma-related behaviours are interpreted across safeguarding, mental health, legal systems, and service sectors internationally. Tom Hawkins is the Director of Regulated Social Work with the Trauma Regulation Board and the CEO of Hawkins Social Work Consultancy Limited. He is an experienced children and families, child protection social worker, and former social work lecturer. He primarily practiced within public law, fostering and adoption, and currently practices as an independent social worker undertaking a variety of roles including court appointed assessments.

1. The Current Landscape 2. Lived Experience: A Case Study Analysis 3. What Families Say 4. What is Trauma and Why it Matters to Social Work 5. The Ethics Gap: Misaligned Values in Practice 6. Does the Law Fail Children? The Underlying Principles 7. Does the Law Fail Children? Powers and Duties 8. Safeguarding Without Safety 9. Intersectionality, Power and Protection 10. What Can We Learn from Other Countries? 11. Towards a Trauma-Informed Social Work Framework 12. Rethinking Assessment 13. Rewriting the Case: Would Outcomes Change? New Case Study? 14. Safe Practitioners Create Safe Systems: Vicarious Trauma, Moral Injury, and Organisational Duty in Social Work 15. Conclusion: Reclaiming Social Work: A Trauma-Regulated Future