Trauma-informed care/systems for young children and children with special needs

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K02381
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09030:Childhood and nursery/pre-school education-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: NOSAKA SACHIKO 大阪大学, 大学院人間科学研究科, 教授 (20379324)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: トラウマインフォームドケア / 乳児院 / 社会的養護

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Regarding trauma informed care (TIC) for children with special needs, such as infants and children in social care, interviews and questionnaires were conducted with teaching staff at infant homes and elementary schools, and ongoing fieldwork was conducted at elementary schools. Since daily relationships and the environment can be reminders of trauma reactions, understanding reminders is key to the practice of TIC, but this was perceived as difficult for frontline staff to grasp. In addition, secondary injuries of staff involved in child trauma such as severe abuse and neglect included grief and conflict associated with the loss of the staff member's own role in protecting infants and toddlers, suggesting the complexity of indirect trauma to the staff member as a support person.

Free Research Field

発達臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子どもはトラウマにさらされる潜在的リスクが高く、その実態の把握と適切な介入は喫緊の課題である。トラウマやACEsを有する子どもは稀ではなく、ACEsの影響による過覚醒や行動化によって日常生活や集団適応が困難になりやすいものの、その理解と対応は十分ではない。社会的養護を受けている乳幼児期及び児童期の子どもを対象としたTICの試みは、まだ始まったばかりであり、子どもの再トラウマと支援者の二次受傷の予防のために、早期からTICを取り入れることは社会的意義が高い実践といえる。探索的な研究であるものの、現場の教職員を対象とした継続的なフィールドワーク等からの知見は、汎用性が高いものと考えられる。