Agenda item

Members to receive a report providing an update on recent progress in delivering the Strategic Partnership Board’s strategic intent to become a trauma-informed area.

The Police and Crime Commissioner submitted a report updating on recent progress on delivery of the Strategic Partnership Board’s (SPB) strategic intent to become a trauma-informed area.

Grace Strong, Strategic Director, Violence Reduction Network introduced the report explaining the background and research around the correlation with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma with several types of harm and in relation to different types of violence and exploitation which had led to the SPBs intent to work collaboratively across organisations and communities to develop a trauma informed system.

It was noted that:

·         The SPB had agreed a common definition of trauma and that a trauma-informed approach would be guided by four assumptions as set out in the report based upon 4 R’s – realises, recognises, responds, resists retraumatising.

·         Three broad areas had also been agreed to progress the required work namely a LLR wide multi-agency Leadership Group to oversee set up of plan and implementation of plan; an Independent Advisor to be commissioned through VRN to provide expertise and insight in early stages and a temporary Project Lead funded by the OPCC to ensure dedicated resource at least in short term to support the work of the Leadership Group.

·         The Leadership Group were enthusiastic, committed people with good experience including representation from the Police, Local Authorities, Children’s Services, Public Health, Schools, Health Commissioners and the National Probation Service and had met regularly since being formed in August 2021.

·         A structure had been drafted and a framework was being developed for organisations to use on their journeys and there was a lot of interested organisations wanting to become trauma informed and the challenge was making that consistent across the system.

·         A significant help to the progression of the workforce development workstream was the VRN’s successful bid for £319k from the home Office Serious Violence Youth Intervention Fund for trauma informed training which had enabled the VRN to partner Barnardo’s to deliver a comprehensive training programme consisting of 3 modules: Introduction to ACE’s and Trauma Informed Practice; Developing Trauma Informed; and Trauma Informed Organisations.

·         George Hoskins had been commissioned by the VRN as an Independent Advisor to offer his expertise alongside the Leadership Group and he would continue to work with them until end Summer 2022.

·         Interviews for the Project Lead role were scheduled to take place on 20^th  May.

·         This was a long term strategy although there had been impressive partner interest in this workstream.

Members discussed the report which included the following points:

·         In terms of the Leadership Group the City Council was represented and were very active through the Children’s Services area

·         As regards violence impacting on health and wellbeing and mental health it was important to be aware of incidents with a ripple effect to be able to respond appropriately and although this work was about prevention it also involved mitigation when incidents occur.

·         In relation to broadening awareness of Trauma Informed to elected members and across Local Authorities, last year’s funding was prescribed but this year that was less so which meant there was more flexibility around training and there had been some initial discussion with Barnardo’s for bespoke training to panel members to provide a good overview and another offer this year was for Community Safety Partnerships (CSP) to receive training as a partnership and collective learning exercise which Barnardo’s could also help with.

·         Regarding outcomes and benchmarks there were elements that were easy to demonstrate and work force development was one, but a lot of other elements were harder to measure however an outcome/indicators framework was being explored.

The Chair thanked the PCC and Grace Strong for providing the report and commented that she had completed Module 1 Introduction to ACE’s and Trauma Informed Practice and hoped that Members of the panel would have the opportunity to undertake the modules going forward.

RESOLVED:

                        That the contents of the report be noted.