Cumbrian charities create trauma-informed local services

A new partnership has been set up to support public services across Cumbria to become trauma-informed.

Trauma Informed Cumbria will provide training, consultancy and networking to professionals across the county.

The aim is to raise awareness of psychological trauma, and to improve the response of public services with the aim of making them more effective for local people.

The partnership is run by charities The Birchall Trust and Safety Net, which already provide direct support to adults and children affected by domestic abuse, sexual abuse and rape.

Psychological trauma can cause serious mental health problems including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety and addiction issues. These can prevent people from successfully engaging in services such as education, leisure or health services.

Many people in Cumbria have experienced trauma in their lives. This can arise from adverse childhood experiences, rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, stalking, bullying, being a refugee, being involved in military combat, being involved in a serious accident or violent assault, natural disasters including the COVID-19 pandemic and traumatic childbirth. Psychological trauma can also arise if someone does a job where they repeatedly hear or see distressing things – for example, while working as a paramedic.

Vanessa Dixon, chief executive of The Birchall Trust and a representative of Trauma Informed Cumbria, said: “When people with lived experienced of trauma access public and third sector services, they are potentially at risk of retraumatisation. This is particularly the case if local services are not informed about trauma and its dynamics.

“Our aim is to support local organisations to become trauma-informed. This means having an awareness of how trauma affects people, giving people a choice of safe and trusted services, and working in a collaborative, empowering and culturally appropriate way.”

Jo Birch, head of operations at Safety Net and a representative of Trauma Informed Cumbria, added: “Psychological trauma can have lasting negative impacts on individuals and communities, impairing their ability to recover, feel safe, and develop trusted relationships with local services and organisations.

“Our mission is to create a movement of change amongst Cumbrian professionals, empowering them to provide quality services that are effective, with high levels of engagement and positive outcomes.”

The Trauma Informed Cumbria website, www.traumainformedcumbria.org.uk, serves as a central hub for information, resources, and tools for professionals seeking to improve their trauma-informed service.

Trauma Informed Cumbria will hold a flagship professional conference on November 2 at the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal.