Overview

CPD on the go® eLearning activities provides an opportunity to learn about diverse topics in short, flexible sessions that you can peruse at your own pace, wherever you are.  

Trauma has long been considered from a biopsychosocial perspective, with many studies exploring the at-times devastating, disruptive, and often long-lasting effects of the trauma experience.

Within the therapeutic context, a focus on trauma-informed care has resulted in treatment that can honour the client’s experiences, interpretations, and paths to healing. Whilst an understanding of the lifelong impact of trauma is critical, expanding that understanding to capture trauma as a systemic form of harm, is key to developing a trauma-informed culture.

The work of the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission), was based on an expanded understanding of trauma. At its close, the Royal Commission has been able to richly contribute to the field of trauma studies, with insights into the development of approaches to trauma as a system of harm.

This activity offers an overview of some key historical issues and theory, and highlights five key areas in which the Royal Commission engaged with trauma theory, including:

1. a social-structural and political account of trauma,

2. trauma-informed evidence gathering processes,

3. bearing witness and the moral injury of trauma,

4. a culture of care, and

5. interdisciplinarity and inclusivity.   

This activity contains a current evidence-based article followed by 10 questions to consolidate your learning. Together, a pass mark of 80% and completion of a reflection represents active* continuing professional development (CPD). 

Level of Learning

Intermediate. This activity is targeted to those who have some previous learning on the topic.

Duration of access

Access to this eLearning activity is for 6 months from the date of confirmed registration.

APS CPD-Approved

This eLearning activity has been assessed against the APS Standards for CPD activities and approved for its education quality.

Learn more about the APS CPD Approval process.

CPD Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to the APS CPD Frequently Asked Questions for general and technical information when undertaking APS Professional development activities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this CPD on the go® eLearning activity, participants should be able to: 

• identify the key elements of the framework employed by the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that distinguishes it from previous inquiries,

• summarise the additional factors that contribute to the harm of institutional abuse,

• explain how the community is affected by institutional abuse,

• describe the approach used by the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to address the moral injury of sexual abuse survivors, and

• outline the concepts associated with a culture of care.

Notes

*’Active CPD’ refers to activities that utilise written or oral processes to reinforce learning and test knowledge. While active CPD is not a requirement of the Psychology Board of Australia, it is recommended because learning is more likely to be retained and to lead to improvements in practice. Provision of a reflection on all types of CPD is, however, a requirement of the Board.