Trauma Responsive Social Work Services Expert Advisory Group: minutes: June 2025

Attendees and apologies

• individuals providing social work services across Scotland from various practice areas
• Resilience Learning Partnership (RLP)
• Scottish Government (SG)

Items and actions

Overview

The purpose of this meeting was to review progress to date and continue to identify gaps and priorities for the Work Plan for 2025 to 2027.

Introductions, welcome and apologies

The Chair welcomed members, including new participants. Apologies were noted from those unable to attend.

Note of previous meeting and actions

Previous meeting note was agreed by members via email. All actions from this meeting were completed by the relevant action owners.

Recap from Spring Review

For the benefit of new members, the TRSWS Policy Lead provided a brief summary of the previous meeting. This included:

• key points raised by the Expert Advisory Group regarding work to date and future priorities
• feedback received from the Partnership Delivery Group
• reflections and learnings identified by the TRSWS team

Key reflections from members:

• representatives from social work services reflected on the challenges in capturing and sharing the breadth of work happening locally, and shared the benefits they have perceived of having a multidisciplinary trauma advisory board in promoting learning and communication
• representative from RLP enquired as to whether any connections have been made with the work that is progressing for the new Human Rights Act. They suggested that the Roadmap for Creating Trauma-Informed and Responsive Change may be a helpful tool that could be adapted to support implementation of other policies
• a representative from social work services raised concerns regarding limited access to trauma-enhanced training and highlighted the lack of a formal reporting mechanism to assess whether services are effectively delivering trauma-enhanced practice
  • TRSWS Team Leader highlighted that the team are currently delivering trauma enhanced training to 3 implementation sites.
  • TRSWS Team Leader also highlighted the team’s intension to develop an approach to training for trainers to help ensure sustainability
  • representatives from RLP and Inverclyde both reflected that training is only one part of achieving systemic change and that it will take time for this to be embedded
  • TRSWS Policy Lead acknowledged that trauma enhanced training is not freely available. The Scottish Government cannot comment upon or endorse any specific private training provider. It is advised that anyone considering commissioning training ensure that these are mapped over to the Scottish Psychological Trauma Training Plan and the Transforming Psychological Trauma: Knowledge and Skills Framework, and query any additions to ensure they align with the evidence base

Input from Resilience Learning Partnership

Representative from the Resilience Learning Partnership (RLP) delivered a short presentation on:

• an overview of the lived experience led organisation, highlighting their mission and approach
• current workstreams and collaborations with the TRSWS and NTTP programmes

Key reflections:

• representative from social work services asked whether RLP could share practical examples of work they have contributed to that has led to systemic change
  • representative from RLP agreed to share some examples but reflected on the nuance of this work and the difficulty of measuring the impact of culture change

Updates on Local Activities

Members were invited to share updates on local initiatives and developments related to trauma-informed and responsive practice. Contributions included:

• representative from social work services highlighted the recent publication of the Quality improvement framework for adult support and protection by the Care Inspectorate and Health and Improvement Scotland. The framework makes explicit reference on how trauma informed practice can help provide best outcomes for at risk adults accessing services
• another representative from social work services raised concerns about the lack of training available for staff working in secondary services, included prison-based staff
  • TRSWS Policy Lead highlighted ongoing work to establish the National Social Work Agency (NSWA) by April 2026, which aims to raise the profile of the social work profession as a whole. The NSWA is working with their partners, Social Work Scotland and COSLA, to develop the Scottish Social Work Partnership. They will work together to ensure a skilled, supported and sustainable social work workforce in Scotland
  • TRSWS Policy Lead also highlighted that the recent update to membership of this group helps to ensure we capture the voices and experiences from staff working in different roles across social work services
• Another representative from social work services reported progress in their local area in supporting Sheriff Courts to become more trauma-informed

Actions

• Secretariat to share slides from the presentation and links to partnership delivery group webpage
• Members to feedback on any further thoughts and queries that were not already raised in the meeting regarding the future Work Plan
• Secretariat to Identify dates for the next 3 group meetings