Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Trauma Informed Social Work Practice

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Coordinator: Professor Robyn Martin

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 1397

Course Coordinator Email: robyn.martin@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 8.10.40

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Requisite Courses 

Successful completion of: 

HWSS2158 Working with Violence and Abuse 

HWSS1135 Casework and Advocacy 

Note: it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisite/s and agree to concurrently enrol in co-requisite courses before enrolling in a course. 

For your information go to RMIT Course Requisites webpage. 


Course Description

This course develops the knowledge, skills and values underpinning trauma informed social work practice. The course adopts a critical perspective, considering how socio-political factors intersect with, and mediate experiences of trauma. Lived experience is centred and forms part of the applied learning and teaching experience. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes 

This course contributes to the following BH105 and BH106 program learning outcomes:  

  • Apply a body of interdisciplinary knowledge, values and skills in working with and for society’s most vulnerable and marginalised individuals, families, groups and communities 
  • Demonstrate creativity, critical thinking and practical reasoning when identifying and solving problems in diverse contexts 
  • Apply initiative and ethical judgment in planning, problem solving and decision making in your current and continuing professional practice 


Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

  1. Critically apply trauma informed theories, concepts and models.
  2. Appraise the impact of political, social, cultural and psychological factors on experiences of trauma.
  3. Respond to disclosures of trauma. 
  4. Recognise the contribution of lived experience and expertise in understanding and responding to trauma. 


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in independent project-based learning in a range of learning activities such as workshops and tutorials, lectures, small and large group work class discussion, and individual activities.   

Delivery may be face-to-face, online or a mix of both. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. 

Weekly learning resources will be available on Canvas.  

There are services and resources available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the RMIT student website. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and your development against the program learning outcomes. 

Assessment Tasks 

Assessment Task 1: Reflective Essay 

Weighting 25%  

(CLO1, CLO2, CLO4) 

Assessment Task 2: Analytic Summary 

Weighting 25%  

(CLO1, CLO2, CLO4) 

Assessment Task 3: Recorded simulation 

Weighting 50%   

(CLO1, CLO3)  

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.