The Safe Organizations Learning Academy (SOLA) is pleased to offer the Trauma-Informed Investigations Certification. This program equips practitioners with the knowledge and skills to conduct investigations that uphold the dignity and respect of all participants, emphasizing trauma-informed practices and ethical standards designed to minimize harm and prevent re-traumatization. Additional information on course content, participation, investment, our code of ethics, and the course competencies is provided below.
To ensure accessible scheduling, pre-registration is required so that dates, times, and cohorts can be assigned according to region and time zone. Please note that pre-registering does not commit you to enrollment—it simply helps us tailor the program to meet your needs.
Overview
The course curriculum focuses on trauma-informed practice for internal workplace investigations, including allegations involving child abuse, elder abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH), exploitation (e.g., labor), discrimination, and myriad other abuses of power.
The course will focus on (8) core concepts applying the lens of the Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Practice and investigation ethics, including the tenets of impartiality and fairness:
❶ Ethical Responsibilities in Investigations
❷ Bias & Labels
❸ Planning & Preparing: Investigation Plans, Communication, and Safety Plans
❹ Collecting Evidence & Identifying Witnesses
❺ Interviewing
❻ Weighing Evidence & Assessing Credibility
❼ Standard of Proof
❽ Report Writing
Program Information
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for individuals who have not:
① Participated in previous trauma-informed training,
② Completed a competency-based investigation certificate program,
③ Received prior investigations training,
④ Led or served on an investigation team (even if previously trained), or
⑤ Accumulated more than three years of professional investigation experience.
⏰ Time Commitment: 8 hours/week
👉🏽 Live Discussion: 4 hours/week (half-day)
👉🏽 Coursework: approximately 4 hours/week
📆 Course Duration: 4 weeks, Course Calendar
⚠️ Limited Enrollment
📍 Online: All live discussions will be virtual unless otherwise designated
*Due to the nature of this curriculum, learners must attend all live discussion groups. While we understand that schedules change - sometimes on a moment's notice, for this certificate program, we are unable to offer make-up classes.
Competencies
To receive a certification for this course, learners are required to successfully complete the following competency tests. Each exercise will be scheduled following key stages of the learning process:
1. Interview Skills: 20-minute mock interview applying the Principles of Trauma-Informed Practice (Passing Score: Overall rating of “Meets Competency")
2. Credibility Assessments & Weighing Evidence: 20-minute multiple choice & fill-in-the-blank test (Passing Score: 80%)
3. Report Writing: Each learner will send their final investigation report by a designated day/time (Passing Score: Overall rating of “Meets Competency”)
4. General Knowledge: 30-minute "open-book/notes" multiple choice & fill-in-the-blank knowledge test (Passing Score: 80%)
Investment
Course investment: $2195 USD
Organization-based Cohorts
If your organization would like multiple employees (5 or more) to complete this certificate program, we can tailor our program exclusively for your organization, including an in-person program.
Please contact us about the investment, scheduling, and logistics.