Professional Development Needs Assessment of Diverse Service Providers in the Violence Against Women Sector

Violence against women (VAW) is a pervasive issue in Canada. VAW organizations are crucial to support diverse women. However, service providers within this sector face significant challenges. This study examines the professional development needs of service providers in the VAW sector, with a specific focus on Trauma-and-Violence-Informed Care (TVIC). Grounded in a constructivist paradigm, we used a qualitative research design to conduct 13 semi-structured interviews with service providers from violence against women (VAW) organizations in Ontario. We then applied thematic analysis to identify key patterns and themes. Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Knowledge and Use of TVIC, (2) Types of Professional Development, and (3) Approaches to Care. Participants demonstrated varying levels of familiarity with TVIC, with some displaying strong theoretical knowledge but struggling to translate it into practice, particularly when working with marginalized populations. Additionally, participants reported structural barriers hindering their provision of care, such as inadequate resources and staff burnout. Participants identified critical areas for professional development, including foundational TVIC principles, best practices for working with diverse communities, the importance of working in and within community and scenario-based training to improve practical application. Findings suggest that while service providers recognize the importance of TVIC, its implementation is often constrained by systemic limitations.