Section 3: Nurturing connections – building positive relationships
The role of relationships
‘Relationships always underpin everything. Always invest in them.’
In this section, you will explore how personal, community, and workplace relationships support others in overcoming stressors and trauma. You will learn how to nurture relationships and build meaningful connections, especially with those who have experienced trauma.
This learning will provide examples of trauma-informed, relationship-based practices and explore how people and organisations can develop their approach accordingly.
Throughout this learning, the terms ‘relationship-based practice’ and ‘relationship-based approach’ are used interchangeably. While they may seem relevant only to workplace practices, it is essential to recognise that relationship-based principles apply universally within all interactions. Whether termed as a practice or an approach, the focus is on valuing and nurturing relationships to enhance communication, cooperation and well-being. Understanding this broad application highlights that positive relationships enrich both personal and professional lives.
At both the individual and community levels, relationships are the cornerstone of everyday interactions and central to our lives. We are surrounded by relationships, whether with immediate and extended family, friends, acquaintances, pets, community leaders, schoolteachers, healthcare staff and many others. No matter the specific context of a relationship, what they all have in common is that they provide the foundations for how others relate to you and you relate to them, and how well you can respond to and support each other.
This also applies to the care system where good relationships help to improve current and future experiences for children and young people. When we get it right, children and young people will have more opportunities to thrive and they are more likely to do well in school, have good mental health and succeed at work.
Learning outcomes
After completing this section, you should be able to:
Explain how personal, community, and professional relationships contribute to positive emotional well-being and outcomes for those impacted by trauma, and particularly the care-experienced population.
Apply positive relationship skills to enhance interpersonal connections and interactions. These include empathetic listening, boundary-setting, and strategies that create environments where individuals feel safe, valued and understood.
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