As outlined in Chapter 2, from 2016 onwards there has been a growing awareness of the importance of delivering trauma-informed practice within a youth justice context (Liddle et al 2016; Cordis Bright 2017; Glendinning et al 2021). Bearing in mind the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among justice-involved young people (see Chapter 5), and the complex relationship between ACEs and serious youth violence (SYV) (see Chapter 6), it is clear that a trauma-informed approach is essential when working with perpetrators of SYV. Yet despite this awareness, the actual delivery of trauma-informed practice with justice-involved young people can be challenging. Before moving on to discuss these challenges, however, this chapter will first outline the strengths of a trauma-informed approach.

Strengths of a trauma-informed approach

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA 2014) report that was drawn upon in Chapter 2 is arguably one of the most comprehensive documents relating to trauma-informed approaches and trauma-informed care. In addition to developing a robust concept of trauma and how it manifests in individuals, the report presents a viable framework for embedding trauma-informed practice into public health agencies and organizations, ranging from education to social care and criminal justice. According to SAMHSA, the concept of trauma-informed practice requires agencies and organizations to apply the principles of trauma-informed care to all areas of their functioning. Working in trauma-informed ways requires ‘all people at all levels of the organization or system [to] have a basic realization about trauma and understand how trauma can affect families, groups, organizations, and communities as well as individuals’ (SAMHSA 2014: 9). With this approach in mind, a young person's violent behaviour should be understood in the context of coping strategies designed to survive adversity and trauma, whether this occurred in the past or is occurring at present.