Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma

Trauma-informed workforce and services

Our ambition, shared with COSLA and many other partners, is for a trauma-informed and trauma-responsive workforce across Scotland, ensuring that services and care are delivered in ways that:

• are informed by people with lived experience
• recognises the importance of wellbeing in the workforce
• recognises where people are affected by trauma and adversity
• responds in ways that prevent further harm
• supports recovery
• can address inequalities and improve life chances

National Trauma Training Programme

Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to publish a knowledge and skills framework for psychological trauma, developed by NHS Education for Scotland (NES). This framework sets out the knowledge and skills needed by everyone in the Scottish workforce to be able to recognise where an individual may be affected by trauma and to adapt their practice accordingly in order to minimise distress and support recovery through a safe and compassionate response.

Since 2018, the Scottish Government has invested over £6 million in a National Trauma Training Programme (NTTP). This includes £3.2 million of funding distributed to all local authorities in 2021/22 and 2022/23 to work with community planning partners to further progress trauma-informed services, systems and workforces.

The NTTP provides accessible, evidence-based trauma training resources developed by NES and informed by experts by experience, including a trauma-informed leaders component. Support for training and implementation, across all sectors of the workforce, is provided by a team of Transforming Psychological Trauma Implementation Co-Ordinators (TPTICs) based in every Health Board in Scotland. In 2021, a network of ‘Trauma Champions’ was also established, this includes senior leaders from across local authorities, health boards and key community planning partners who work collaboratively to influence change across local areas. The Trauma Champions network is supported by the Improvement Service.

A Quality Improvement Framework for Trauma-Informed Systems, Services and Workforces is currently under development and due to be published in 2023.

In 2023, we will publish a long-term delivery plan for the National Trauma Training Programme, alongside the forthcoming Mental and Wellbeing Health Strategy. This plan will set out the training and implementation support the Scottish Government and partners will continue to help embed and sustain trauma-informed workforces, services and care. This will include a continued focus on supporting delivery of The Promise and consideration of what further support we can provide local services and organisations to meaningfully share power with experts by experience.