Trauma Informed Practice
What is trauma informed practice?
Trauma is often defined as “an event, a series of events or a set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being” (SAMHSA, 2014)
Whilst living through trauma is relatively common, the experience and its impact is often hidden. Although many people show remarkable resilience, those who experience trauma are at higher risk of experiencing greater inequalities and poorer outcomes at all stages of their lives, across physical and mental health, education, employment and wellbeing, if they do not have access to the right support at the right time if needed.
There is growing evidence that trauma-informed systems and practice can result in better outcomes for people affected by trauma. Being ‘trauma informed and responsive’ means being able to recognise when someone may be affected by trauma, collaboratively adjusting how we work to take this into account and responding in a way that supports recovery, does no harm, and recognises and supports people’s resilience (NHS Education for Scotland, 2017).
The National Trauma Transformation Programme
In 2017, the Scottish Government commissioned NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to establish a National Trauma Transformation Programme (NTTP) to support the development of a trauma informed and trauma responsive workforce and services across Scotland. The NTTP provides evidence-based trauma training resources which can help raise awareness, knowledge and confidence among the Scottish workforce, so people are equipped to embed trauma-informed practice throughout services. The programme also recognises the need for trauma related knowledge and skills across the whole workforce, not just for those with a remit to respond directly to the needs of those affected by trauma and promotes the message that “trauma is everybody’s business”.
You can find out more about the NTTP and available resources here: Homepage - National Trauma Transformation Programme. Some of the resources available through the programme can also be found in the links section of this page.
Trauma Informed Practice in Inverclyde
In June 2023, Inverclyde Council made a leadership pledge of support to become a trauma informed and responsive organisation.
Inverclyde Council’s Leadership Pledge of Support
“Inverclyde Council recognises the widespread impact of psychological trauma on individuals and communities, and we believe it is a priority to ensure that everyone is offered the support and opportunities they need to achieve their fullest potential. We will strive towards a culture, workforce and services that are trauma informed and responsive, by embodying the trauma informed principles of collaboration, choice, empowerment, safety and trust in all that we do.
We will progress towards all members of our workforce being offered trauma informed training appropriate to their role, and aim to develop systems, services and environments that are designed with an understanding of trauma and its impact at their heart.
It is vital that, where relevant, all stages of our work are co-produced in an appropriate manner with people with lived experience of trauma, helping us to better understand how we can prevent further harm and remove barriers for people to access the support they need, when they need it.
We are aware that anyone can be affected by trauma, including people within our own workforce. We will aim to promote and strengthen the resources that are available to support staff wellbeing, helping to ensure all members of our workforce feel safe, supported and valued.”
A Trauma Informed and Responsive Inverclyde Delivery and Improvement Plan has since been developed and sets out the key strategic priority areas and related activity that will support the delivery of this ambition. These strategic themes are summarised below:
1. Leadership and Culture
Key aims:
- Leadership at all levels understands and commits to supporting the vision of a trauma informed services, organisations and communities, embodies the trauma informed principles in leadership practice and creates accountability for long-term change
- An organisational culture is formed, where a trauma informed approach is seen as an intrinsic way of working, rather than a standalone intervention, and the trauma informed principles are felt by all
2. Workforce Development, Support and Wellbeing
Key aims:
- Staff receive training and implementation support relevant to their role and remit that supports the development of the knowledge, skills, confidence and capacity to recognise and respond to people affected by trauma
- Workforce care and staff wellbeing is valued and prioritised and support is in place to promote staff care for all. There is particular recognition of the potential for staff to have their own experiences of trauma both in their personal and professional lives, particularly in roles where there is increased risk of vicarious traumatisation or secondary traumatic stress
3. Lived Experience and Feedback Loops
Key aims:
- People with lived and living experience of trauma are routinely and meaningfully involved in the collaborative design and delivery of services which fit people’s needs, rather than the needs of organisations and systems
- Feedback loops from people accessing, working in and working with the organisation are inbuilt and consistently used to evaluate and improve services
4. Policies and Processes
Key aims:
- Policies and processes reflect a trauma informed approach to all that the organisation does and every aspect of a person’s experience of services, e.g. first contact, communication, relationships with staff, physical environments, referrals and assessments, etc.
- Organisational budgets reflect a trauma informed approach as a priority, support a long-term commitment to ongoing implementation and ensure there are sufficient resources available to support meaningful developments