A study by the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH) of the Faculty of Education and Psychology highlights the importance of investing in training in trauma-sensitive care in residential care for children and young people, after listening to the perspectives of different professionals working in these contexts. The research also highlights the need for supervision and support for professionals to ensure that they meet the needs of children and young people living in these settings.

Portugal has a high prevalence of residential care for vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have been exposed to adverse and potentially traumatic experiences. Mariana Negrão, lead author of the study, emphasises that “the guarantee of residential care that is sensitive to the adversity of these children and young people's previous trajectories is valuable. It is necessary to provide them with a safe and healthy environment, which is also reflected in the well-being of the professional teams.”

An in-depth look at the reality of care

With this framework in mind, the researchers used an innovative tool - the Trauma-Sensitive Care Evaluation Questionnaire for Welfare System (Veiga, Rocha & Negrão 2022) - to map the practices and perceptions of professionals working in residential care homes for children and young people, and to identify strengths and areas for improvement in the provision of trauma-sensitive care.

The main findings of the research show that staff have a positive view of the physical environment of residential care homes but feel that there is a lack of training in this area and adequate supervision in the delivery of this care.

For the researcher, "this exploratory study highlights the crucial role of professional support in ensuring trauma-sensitive residential care that meets the needs of children and young people.”

Similarly, regular supervision is essential so that professionals can reflect on their practice, receive support and develop strategies to deal with the particularities of their demanding work.

Entitled “Trauma-Sensitive Residential Care: Perspectives of Portuguese Professionals to Spark Change”, the study is a crucial step towards improving residential care in Portugal. It is part of the Capacity Building in Trauma Sensitive Care project, led by Elisa Veiga (CEDH and FEP-UCP). In addition to these researchers, José Carlos Rocha (Centre for Trauma and Bereavement Psychology and CESPU) and Inês Clemente (CEDH) also contributed to the work.