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Trauma-informed child welfare practice model in Methodist Welfare Services Covenant Family Service Centre (Singapore)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2019

Cindy Hui Mei Ng-Tay ,
Joyce Teo  and
Yi Ying Ng Open the ORCID record for Yi Ying Ng [Opens in a new window]
Cindy Hui Mei Ng-Tay*
Affiliation:
Methodist Welfare Services, Singapore
Joyce Teo
Affiliation:
Methodist Welfare Services, Singapore
Yi Ying Ng
Affiliation:
Methodist Welfare Services, Singapore
*
Author for correspondence: Cindy Hui Mei Ng-Tay, Email: cindytay@mws.sg
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Abstract

In view of the rise in child abuse in Singapore, our Family Service Centre developed a child welfare practice model to guide and anchor our practitioners in trauma-informed approaches. This practice model was developed over two years through literature reviews and qualitative interviews with practitioners. Three aspects of the practice model were found to be key in ensuring practitioners were trauma-informed in their practices, these being: the principles and values related to trauma-informed practice; reflection by practitioners on their attachment history and self; and the assessment of caregivers’ characteristics. Despite this practice model being largely beneficial for practitioners in our agency, implementation in the local context gives rise to certain challenges due to differences in beliefs about disciplining children.

Keywords

Traumatrauma-informedchild abusechild welfarepractice modelSingaporesocial workcommunity social workFamily Service Centre
Type
AFC Conference Paper
Information
Children Australia , Volume 44 , Issue 2: Special Conference Issue – The Neuroscience of Trauma and Development in The Everyday , June 2019 , pp. 81 - 83
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019 

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