Keely Glithero and Natasha Coutts, Catalyst Support leaders championing Trauma-informed Approach across our services, have recently been part of a team behind the latest Surrey and NE Hampshire Trauma Informed Approach Framework and Toolkit. Through their strategic involvement in Bridge the Gap changing futures programme, Keely and Natasha helped develop the framework and pilot the process of undertaking service evaluation using the new approach.
How Can Trauma Affect People?
Everyone reacts differently to traumatic experiences. The signs of trauma can vary from person to person and might show up at any time, even years down the line. While some individuals quickly bounce back from tough situations without feeling deeply affected, others might face lasting challenges, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), long after the event has passed. These challenges can impact various aspects of life, including emotional health, physical condition, thinking patterns, behaviours, relationships, spiritual beliefs, and personal development.
Why is Trauma-informed Approach Important?
Trauma-Informed Approach (TIA) is a caring strategy that recognizes how trauma affects people’s lives. TIA focuses on ensuring safety—emotionally, physically, and psychologically—for everyone involved, whether they are giving or receiving support. It’s all about helping individuals who have faced trauma feel empowered and in control again. Rather than treating the trauma itself (this is the job for specialized trauma services), TIA aims to make it easier for people affected by trauma to access various services like healthcare, education, and public assistance without feeling overwhelmed. This approach ensures services are welcoming, culturally respectful, and trustworthy, making them more accessible and effective. By adopting TIA, service providers work together with those they serve, empowering them to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.
A Trauma Informed Approach shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What has happened to you?”
Framework Objectives
A local model has been co-produced, reflecting on the work of national and international trauma informed organisations and experts in the field, to highlight ways in which a TIA can be embedded by individuals into communities, teams, services, and organisations throughout Surrey & NE Hampshire.
The Surrey & NE Hampshire TIA Framework and Toolkit will support the realisation of a Trauma Informed Surrey & NE Hampshire by:
- Defining what a TIA means in Surrey & NE Hampshire and describing the benefits of adoption.
- Providing a template framework which organisations can flex to local needs and then evaluate their current practice and identify areas for trauma informed quality improvement and organisational change.
- Empowering communities and organisations to prioritise and action plan for ongoing practical change towards becoming trauma informed.
Framework and Toolkit
You can request a copy of the framework and toolkit here.
Please email traumainformed@sabp.nhs.uk with any questions about using it to enhance culturally sensitive, safe services that people trust. Funded and paid training options and consultations are available to support services with implementation of TIA Framework.