Bringing Social Justice Into Focus: “Trauma-Informed” Work With Children With Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Child and youth mental health practitioners are certain to encounter children with disabilities in their practices. Children with disabilities experience violence and abuse at higher rates than children without disabilities. Consequently, it is essential to consider the needs and experiences of this population when developing trauma-informed care practices and policies. This article explores how the traumatic experiences of children with disabilities are accounted for in the academic literature and how this knowledge may shape trauma-informed practice in mental health settings. Grounded in Critical Disability Studies, a scholarly discipline that emerged out of disability rights activism, this article demonstrates how the individual experiences of children with disabilities cannot be separated from the operation of ableism and disableism. Ableism and disableism are systems of oppression and marginalization that create the environment in which violence toward children with disabilities occurs—a fact largely neglected within the mental health practice literature. This article advances the argument that in order for trauma-informed practices to be truly trauma-informed, they must challenge forms of systemic and structural oppression that uphold cultures of violence. Further, it is necessary to expose and challenge the often subtle ways that ableism and disableism manifest in professional practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Children with disabilities
• disability
• trauma
• violence
• trauma-informed care
• mental health
• ableism
• oppression
• social justice
• social work

Acknowledgements

The first author wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Kendal David and Maimuna Khan, who held space for me as I grappled with the tensions inherent in this work and whose friendship, passion, and commitment inspire me every day.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 This paper will not detail specific cultural attitudes regarding disability for two reasons: (1) even if the majority of a population holds a particular attitude, there is considerable diversity within cultures and communities that the authors would not wish to erase; (2) providing service providers with concrete cultural examples under the guise of “cultural competency” does little to promote cultural humility, and may instead promote the formation of cultural stereotypes.

2 Other events that are commonly considered potentially traumatic include: loss or bereavement, medical emergencies, significant changes to one’s environment, and major life transitions (Fuld, 2018).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brooke A. Thomas-Skaf

Brooke A. Thomas-Skaf holds a BA and BSW from the University of Calgary and is completing an MA in Social Anthropology from Dalhousie University at the time of this publication.

Angelique Jenney

Angelique Jenney, PhD, RSW, is an Assistant Professor and holds the Wood's Homes Research Chair position at the University of Calgary.