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Abuse in Care - Royal Commission of Inquiry

Abuse in Care - Royal Commission of Inquiry

This Royal Commission is an independent inquiry into abuse in state care and in the care of faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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What it means to be trauma-informed

Trauma has neurological, biological, psychological, spiritual, social and cultural impacts. Many survivors find talking about their abuse traumatic and distrust authority. Anyone working with survivors must be sensitive to the impacts of trauma and not do further harm. The trauma informed approach asks what has happened to someone, not what is wrong with them. A trauma-informed approach for Māori in particular would need to be supportive of whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori, or communities, consider intergenerational and historical trauma, and recognise and provide for a te ao Māori worldview and Māori healing concepts.

Trauma-informed care treats people with manaakitia kia tipu – nurturing of people so that they can prosper and grow. It includes treating people with atawhai, or kindness humanity, compassion, dignity, respect and generosity in a manner that upholds their mana. The quality of the relationship that a survivor has with those trying to help them is crucial to their healing – it can facilitate a feeling of safety and security and a survivor’s ability to have hope and trust. 

Trauma-informed care also requires respect for the autonomy of survivors – including scope for survivors to choose their own pathway of utua kia ea. Survivors should have control over how, when, in what form, and to whom they disclose abuse.  They should be empowered to make their own decisions about what works best for them in their healing. A trauma-informed approach to puretumu is collaborative decisions are made with a survivor and not for them.

 

Next: Obligations under te Tiriti o Waitangi

1-1-introduction-3
  • 1.3 Concepts of harm and restoration and framing principles
  • Tikanga Māori concepts
  • Pacific peoples’ concepts of harm and restoration
  • Disability rights concepts
  • Other principles relevant to puretumu
  • What it means to be trauma-informed
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    • Ngā pūrongo Reports
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      • Stolen Lives, Marked Souls
      • Beautiful Children
      • He Purapura Ora, he Māra Tipu
      • Tāwharautia: Pūrongo o te Wā
      • Administrative report
    • Ngā purapura ora Survivors
      • Getting help and support
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      • Public hearings
      • Research
    • Te tuara me tōna raupapa Background and material
      • About the Royal Commission
      • Inquiry team
      • Advisory Groups and Reference Groups
      • Quarterly reports
      • Timeline
      • Pānui
    • Kohinga tuhinga Document library
      • Document Library
      • Case studies
      • Recommendations
      • Summaries and guides

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