Trauma-informed approach
There is growing research around trauma, including how trauma and adverse childhood experiences can make someone more likely to develop, or directly cause, a mental health condition. Different organisations use different definitions of trauma, with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) stating that:
‘Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as harmful or life threatening. While unique to the individual, generally the experience of trauma can cause lasting adverse effects, limiting the ability to function and achieve mental, physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being’ (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2022b)
What is a ‘trauma-informed’ approach or service?
OHID has adopted (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2022b) the definition developed by the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which states that systems or organisations are trauma-informed if they:
‘realize[s] the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization’ (Huang et al., 2014)
These approaches are not about treating people who have experienced trauma, but taking a whole-systems approach to allow people who have experienced trauma to access the support they need, whether that be mental healthcare or other support services (Sweeney & Taggart, 2018).
There has been an increased focus in recent years on services taking a ‘trauma-informed approach’, including within the NHS Long Term Plan (NHS, 2019), and nationally in Wales (ACE Hub Wales, 2022) and Scotland (Scottish Government, 2021). Some research focuses on trauma-informed approaches for specific groups, including for women (Bear et al., 2019) and people experiencing severe multiple disadvantage (Department for Levelling Up, 2023).
There is some evidence showing that trauma-informed interventions have a positive impact: trauma-informed interventions can increase engagement with treatment and reduce trauma-related symptoms, such as for women with co-occurring mental health needs and substance use; and trauma-informed alternatives to seclusion are also associated with reductions in the use of restraint against young people in secure psychiatric care (Scottish Government, 2021).
Trauma-informed approaches in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
To improve system-wide understanding of trauma-informed approaches in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, cross-sector workshops took place in 2023. This was led by Changing Futures and included people with lived experience, organisations providing support around domestic violence and healthcare staff.
Additional resources
- Trauma-Informed Wales: A Societal Approach to Understanding, Preventing and Supporting the Impacts of Trauma and Adversity
- Scottish Government’s Trauma-informed practice: toolkit
- A sense of safety: trauma-informed approaches for women
- Trauma-informed approaches to supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage: A Rapid Evidence Assessment
- Training: Scotland National Trauma Training Programme, NHS England All Our Health: Vulnerabilities and trauma-informed practice and Trauma-Informed Care programme
References
Full list of references is included at the end of this chapter.