Australia’s first Trauma Informed Toolkit for the legal assistance sector

With You has developed a Toolkit is an implementation-ready, comprehensive guide to foster the development of trauma-informed, rights-based legal assistance services.

The prevalence of trauma amongst clients of the legal assistance sector is uncontested, particularly at the point where they need legal assistance. A lawyer who can recognise and respond to trauma can deliver an effective legal service, without causing further harm, and lessen the impact of vicarious trauma.

In addition to training frontline staff, legal services must embody trauma-informed and rights-based principles across all aspects of service design, organisational culture, leadership and management.

The Organisational Toolkit is underpinned by an international review of academic and grey literature, a National Legal Aid survey of existing best practices, and innovative approaches observed through national consultations spanning all states and territories. The consultations with clients of the sector, lawyers, and other stakeholders have concluded that trauma-informed, rights-based practice should be a core competency for all staff in the legal assistance sector.

A PDF version of the toolkit is available to print and share here.

eLearning & Community of Practice

To support you to adapt and share trauma-informed principles across Australia, you can join the Community of Practice.

You can also register for With You eLearning courses which are fully funded for all professionals in the Australian legal assistance sector.