Help MindMate News #10
MindMate News is a regular bulletin bringing you news and up to date information about MindMate and young people’s mental health in Leeds.
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Focus on Trauma
Compassionate Leeds: Building a trauma informed city together
A Trauma Informed Movement / network is being created in Leeds, to harness and connect the knowledge, expertise, and experience within the city. This began with a digital conference held on 4th November. Over 440 people registered, with the majority contributing and engaging throughout the day and expressing a keen interest in being involved in future developments. This acts as a catalyst for a wide range of partners to work together to raise awareness of the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), to prevent trauma and to identify and respond early and swiftly to those experiencing trauma.
This event analysis report summarises the main themes arising from the day – these were the things that presenters and participants focused on, especially when thinking about what being ‘trauma-informed’ might mean for them in their work (and beyond).
Development of a local place-based strategic framework
A task and finish group has been established to support the development of a local place-based strategic framework that will set out the shared vision of how Leeds will become a trauma informed city that works to prevent the conditions that lead to trauma and responds compassionately and swiftly whenever trauma, or risk of trauma is present. The draft strategic framework will be out for consultation soon!
Adult Trauma Informed Steering Group
An Adult Trauma Informed Steering Group was established in January 2022, this is a key priority within the Mental Health Strategy and the Steering Group is co-chaired by Max Naismith, Head of Specialist Services and Lucy Chiddick – Clinical Lead Mental Health (Trauma). The Steering group comprises approximately 17 Senior Leaders and key influencers in the City. The scope of the Steering Group is to embed a trauma informed approach to an organisational system and culture change development model. The Group will develop into a professional movement made up of change agents at a senior level who are in a position to commit to influencing their own cultural responsibilities within their agencies. A number of sub-groups will be established in terms of taking forward the detail and the actions, the scope of these are yet to be firmly decided but there are a number of key lines of enquire:
- Interface with the Young People’s Steering Group
- Link with the Regional ICS work
- Influence language and communication
- Introduce a set of principles and core values including coproduction and the voice of people with lived experience
Community Post
We are creating a community third sector development worker; this will be integral to our trauma informed work with children and families. The post holder will work closely with the trusted third sector organisations to engage with Leeds communities. The focus will be gathering insight to help shape the wider programme, by understanding the assets within communities and the challenges faced by them. The postholder will work closely with the community grant initiative below. Forum Central are hosting the post.
Community Grants Scheme
We are initiating a two-year community grants scheme for third sector organisations in the city. There will be two key areas of focus; the first will be to deliver initiatives that develop and strengthen protective factors for children and families, to prevent and ameliorate trauma. This can range from parenting support, peer support, physical and creative activities, to engaging in community action. These initiatives will take a trauma informed approach and in addition will join the community network established by the community development worker. This grant scheme will be coordinated by Leeds Community Fund.
Trauma film
We have commissioned Thompson Brand Partners to work with children and families to produce a film to help raise awareness of the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and what being ‘trauma informed’ really means. This film will be aimed at professionals across the whole system (health, social care and education) for use in training / educational sessions. This film will be shared widely and made available on the MindMate website.
The Development of the West Yorkshire Trauma Informed Knowledge & Skills Framework
We are developing a West Yorkshire Trauma Informed Knowledge and Skills Framework which will be launched at the Knowledge and Exchange event in April. The first meeting is taking place on Monday 28th February to discuss the rationale and benefits of developing this, looking at other examples, gaps in our knowledge, representation or understanding and proposals and ideas for developing our approach. The meeting involves colleagues who are members of the network that have expressed an interest in the development of this.
Second Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Annual Knowledge Exchange
In partnership with the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit we will hold our second Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Annual Knowledge Exchange from Tuesday 26 April to Thursday 28 April 2022 between 9.30am to 4.30pm. This virtual event will bring partners together to explore progress to date, share evidence and best practice. We’ll also launch our Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Strategy for ensuring West Yorkshire is a trauma informed and responsive system. The event is open to everyone, including all colleagues working across the Partnership. Watch out for more details coming soon. In the meantime, please put the dates in your diary, and to register an interest in this event please contact Emm Irving at emmerline.irving@nhs.net or Carrie Rae at carrie.rae1@nhs.net
West Yorkshire Trauma Informed Training
As part of our ambition to be a trauma informed and responsive system by 2030 we are delivering practice foundation training to all members of housing staff, the police and we are piloting the training with primary care staff in Calderdale. Staff are expected to attend one of a series of three-hour training sessions. The training will cover an introduction to trauma, adversity and resilience as well as the principles of trauma-informed practice. The training is being delivered by Dr Warren Larkin who is an expert in this field. To date the feedback from the police training has been very positive.
NEW event: Trauma informed care across the maternity journey
The Royal Society of Medicine are hosting a Trauma informed care across the maternity journey event on Friday 20thMay at 10.00am. This conference will examine and provide an understanding of trauma in the context of the maternity journey. This includes traumatic experiences within the maternity journey itself, the impact of historical trauma on the experience of pregnancy, birth and the quality of healthcare received, best practice in trauma-informed care, and psychological experiences of women during their maternity journey. For more information, including how to register go here
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