Early Intervention Providers’ Use of Trauma-Informed Care: A Qualitative Exploration

Previous research has highlighted the need for trauma-informed care (TIC) to be used in Early Intervention (EI). However, little is known about how EI providers use TIC in their practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how EI providers think about and use TIC. We conducted semi-structured interviews with fourteen EI providers in Illinois. We organized our findings using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s framework of TIC, highlighting how EI providers realize the impact of trauma, recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma, respond by using trauma-informed practices, and resist re-traumatization. The findings from this study have implications for research, practice, and policy related to the provision of EI services.