About Trauma Informed Services
Enabling you to recognise trauma and respond in a way that avoids harm, supports recovery, and promotes resilience.
Unfortunately, as a society we are not yet trauma informed so ‘behaviours of distress’, which are often perceived as ‘challenging’, then becomes the focus, and an individual’s underlying life experience is often not explored or considered. Services developed without a trauma perspective may therefore find they are less effective and have poorer outcomes than hoped.
Our multi-disciplinary, professional expertise, knowledge and first hand experience of successfully identifying and meeting unmet needs has directly informed our training resources. We would like to share our learning with organisations who deliver services to children and young people who have experienced trauma.
By developing safety and trust, promoting choice and prioritising collaboration and empowerment, we can minimise re-traumatisation.
This improves engagement in services and ultimately quality of life for individuals.
Supporting you to be…
Knowledgeable and skilled in delivering trauma informed practice
Empathic, compassionate, collaborative and inclusive
Emotionally resilient, reflective and well supported
Curious about behaviour and it’s underlying causes
Aware that every interaction matters and that their relationship with children and young people is the key to effective working
Embed a culture of learning and professional development
Maintaining our values:
Safety — Everyone has a right to physical and relational safety.
Connection — The development of safe, trusting relationships is at the heart of any successful intervention.
Acceptance — Everyone has a right to be heard and for their thoughts and feelings to be accepted. Everyone’s story is meaningful.
Curiosity — Behaviour is a form of communication. Curiosity helps us see behind the behaviour.
Resilience — Emotional resilience comes with self-care and being part of a cared for and well trained team.
Reflective Practice — When working with individuals who have experience trauma, we can become reactive and anxiety driven. Protected time to stop and think together is crucial for healthy team functioning.
Our team
Darren Beattie Director Darren has had a varied career with roles in the Police and Social Care which led to him becoming Head of Service for a Secure Children's Home for over ten years. Darren was responsible for a large multi-disciplinary team and successfully embedded trauma informed practice. This therapeutic approach ensured children and young people received excellent standards of care which was formally recognised by Ofsted and their awarding judgments. Darren’s passion for organisations to be trauma informed led to the creation of a customised qualification for staff working in all secure settings for children and young people. Darren was the Vice Chair of the Secure Accommodation Network (SAN) for several years and is currently acting as a subject matter consultant for local authorities designing and building new secure children home's. Darren remains operational and is in the process of setting up a new Family Assessment Centre whilst continuing his training and consultancy roles.
Dr Karen Cloute Principal Clinical Psychologist Karen has a Doctorate in Clinical and Community Psychology and specialises in child and adolescent mental health with a specific interest in neurodevelopment. Karen has spent many years working in NHS learning disability and autism services. Karen has worked as a clinician, trainer and supervisor and has delivered training for Exeter and Reading University. Since 2015 Karen has been the Clinical Lead for a Secure Children’s Home where they have been embedding a trauma informed, therapeutic parenting approach to caring for young people with highly complex needs and trauma histories.
Associate Trainers
Dr Jess Palfrey Consultant Clincial Psychologist Jess is a registered Consultant Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of working in numerous settings with children, adolescents and their families. Jess has worked across a diverse number of services which include; NHS Camhs, Neurodevelopmental pathways, Sure Start (0-5yrs), Child Mental Health teams, Secure Settings, Children in Care teams, Fostering and Adoption agencies and Residential Children Homes. Jess is passionate and committed to adopting a trauma informed approach when working with and carers and professionals. Jess is trained in DDP, Theraplay, Therapeutic Parenting, attachment therapy and EMDR. She integrates these approaches to support families to thrive holistically, make sense of their experiences and distress, and deepen their connections. She is experienced in providing consultation, supervision and training to a range of professionals and parents. Having worked in social care, health and education services, she brings a knowledge of these systems, understands the challenges, and welcomes the opportunities to enhance the application of trauma-informed practice.
Dr Jemma Hill Principal Clinical Psychologist Jemma is a Clinical Psychologist specialising in children and adolescent services. She currently leads a clinical team supporting children and families open to children's social care and has previously been lead psychologist on an ASD pathway and senior psychologist in a tier 4 setting. Jemma is also a part time lecturer at The University of Central Lancashire teaching on the MSc in Clinical Psychology and Trainee Associate Psychological Practitioner courses amongst others. Jemma provides training and workshops for external providers across the UK. She is A VIG accredited practitioner, DBT trained and is working towards accreditation in DDP and EMDR.
Chris West Consultant Occupational Therapist Chris is a Consultant Occupational Therapist with a specialism in working with individuals who have experienced early trauma for over 25 years, as a clinician, trainer, and supervisor, within the NHS and independently. Chris is a trainer in Sensory Attachment Intervention, which is an integrated approach to developmental trauma. Chris has previously run an Adoption Support Agency. Chris works in the field of looked after children, within a secure adolescent unit, and adoption. The two main approaches Chris uses clinically are sensory integration, and sensory attachment intervention, recognising the importance of co-regulating and self-regulating activities using sensory and emotionally regulating experiences, to enhance their ability to connect, engage, and engage in the relational and physical world around them. Working closely with parents/key adults is a key part of her work, to support regulation, resilience, to support a greater sense of safety and security. Chris is a co-author of the "Here’s Looking at You" series, used in children’s centres to support co-regulation between parents and their babies, based on the Dynamic Model of Maturation and Adaptation and the CARE-Index.
Dr Miranda Budd Consultant Clinical Psychologist Miranda has worked in the field of psychological healthcare for 18 years, being a qualified Clinical Psychologist for 13 years. Miranda currently works as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist within Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. Miranda is the Clinical Lead for psychological practitioners working within Primary Care Network settings across the Lancashire & South Cumbria and the Health Education England workforce innovation project. Miranda is also the Principal Investigator on a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Randomised Control feasibility trial exploring mental health prevention and promotion practices. Prior to this, the majority of Miranda's career has focused upon working with children and young people. This has been in inpatient, residential, education, forensic, custodial and community settings. Working systemically and applying attachment and trauma theory is an area of special interest for Miranda. She enjoys training others in how to apply psychological skills and ways of working, to everyday practice.
Dr Clare Holt Principal Clinical Psychologist Clare is a Registered and Chartered Clinical Psychologist who has spent her career working in, and developing, services for children, young people and families. Clare is passionate about ensuring high quality care which is trauma-informed at every level. Therefore, she strives to maintain a whole systems perspective whether working directly with individuals, or supporting the broader system via consultation, training, supervision, and reflective practice. Through all strands of her work, Clare advocates for a strengths-focus, collaboration, and co-production. Clare has extensive experience of working within the criminal justice system, particularly within youth custody. It is working within these complex systems that Clare has experienced first-hand the vital difference that high quality training can make to staff well-being, staff practice, and, ultimately, outcomes for people accessing services. Currently, Clare continues to apply her skills, experience and expertise whilst working within a custodial setting that provides care to young adults. As an independent practitioner, Clare undertakes a diverse range of tasks including assessments for the family and criminal courts. Regardless of what specific setting she is working in, or task she is undertaking, Clare applies her understanding of trauma and its impact.
Dr Christine Curle Consultant Clinical Psychologist Christine is a registered consultant clinical psychologist with more than 30 years experience of working in the NHS. She has specialised in working with children, young people and families as a clinician in a range of settings, but also as a senior clinical and professional lead at Trust and Regional levels. Christine is a chartered Clinical and Forensic psychologist starting her psychology career working in prisons and young offender institutions. She completed her PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, working in Special Hospitals with mentally disordered offenders. She has also spent a decade as an academic director training psychologists to become clinicians at the University of Exeter, where her understanding of adult models of learning lead to the introduction of problem based learning. Christine has a strong commitment to shared and compassionate clinical leadership and believes strongly in effective inter-professional and inter-agency working and co-production with service users as the key to positive change for individuals and organisations. Understanding trauma and its impact has been a thread throughout Christine’s career. She currently works independently offering, clinical services, training, supervision and consultation.
Dr Brendan J Dunlop (he/him) Principal Clinical Psychologist Brendan is a Principal Clinical Psychologist in the NHS and a Deputy Research Director and Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at The University of Manchester. In his NHS role, Brendan works as part of a clinical leadership team for an emerging psychological profession known as the Associate Psychological Practitioners. In his university role he teaches and supervises research on LGBTQ+ mental health and supervises Trainee Clinical Psychologists delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. In addition to this, Brendan works in an independent capacity providing psychological therapy to young people and adults, many of whom are from the LGBTQ+ community. Brendan is Associate Editor of the academic journal, "Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice" and Brendan's debut book, "The Queer Mental Health Workbook" (the first-of-its-kind LGBTQ+ self-help resource) published worldwide on 21st March 2022.
Dr Rhiannon Lewis Clinical Psychologist Rhiannon is a chartered Clinical Psychologist and has worked in the NHS for 20 years, across different settings including prisons, forensic hospitals and in the community. She currently works as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist within South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust as Clinical Lead for the South East London (SEL) Vanguard. The SEL Vanguard is a community-based multi-systems violence reduction programme which aims to improve access to mental health support for marginalised young people up to the age of 25. Rhiannon also provides supervision, reflective practice and leadership consultancy across the Homelessness sector and works as a court-appointed expert witness. She has trained a wide variety of professionals in trauma-informed practice and related topics - including prison officers, trainee psychologists and those working across the youth justice sector. Rhiannon has a particular interest in working therapeutically with individuals with histories of complex developmental trauma and supporting staff teams to formulate and manage complex risk. She draws from a number of psychological theories and models in her work, including attachment theory, trauma-systems theory and the Power-Threat-Meaning framework.
Lorraine Preece Training Consultant Lorraine spent 20 years in banking and was one of their youngest trainers. Lorraine’s career changed in 2000 when began working in the voluntary sector in which she spent five years as the CEO of a successful charity specialising in working with marginalised people – children, young people and adults before semi-retiring in 2019. Lorraine is qualified to deliver Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Awareness Training. Lorraine has extensive skills, knowledge and experience to hopefully enable people, through training, to be better equipped to make a difference to the lives of those they work with, and maybe even to their own lives.
Valerie Cannon Consultant Social Worker Valerie has been a registered social worker since 1997 and has practiced in a variety of settings, including adult services, but primarily working within children’s services. Valerie has been a senior manager and spent twelve years with Cafcass. Valerie has developed key skills in assessing and intervening with the most vulnerable children and adults, using professional expertise and a variety of evidence based tools to analyse behaviour and make recommendations in their best interests. Valerie has developed and delivered training on domestic abuse, risk assessment, parent and child assessment, sibling assessment, case planning, report writing and court skills, more recently being involved in training on restorative supervision, professional curiosity and effective leadership. During her time as a local authority Principal Children and Families Social Worker, Valerie managed the Social Care Academy, advising on professional development and providing/commissioning a wide range of training and development opportunities. As an independent social worker Valerie remains involved in frontline practice as well as providing consultancy and delivering a wide range of training
Jan Liff Child Protection Specialist Jan has over 35 year's experience of social work with children and their families. She has been an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) specialising in chairing child protection meetings and a Local Area Designated Officer (LADO) managing and overseeing allegations made against those working or volunteering with children and young people. Jan worked in a Secure Children’s Home as a Senior Manager working with traumatised young people who present with complex and risky behaviours. Jan has experience of developing and implementing trauma informed practice within a secure children's home. Jan is an experienced trainer in child protection, supervision and professional practice. Jan is working with us to develop trauma courses and resources for organisations working in the community with children and young people who have experienced trauma.
Francis N'Jie Leadership & Management Consultant Francis initially trained as a teacher and later qualified as a social worker. Francis has extensive experience of residential childcare and has managed five Secure Children’s Homes in England as well as being the Head Children’s Residential Services in three local authorities. One of his most enjoyable previous management experiences was as the Agency Decision Maker (Fostering) in a large local authority (England). Francis is the current Chair of the Secure Accommodation Network (SAN), which supports and advises secure children’s homes in England and Wales. SAN also advise Ofsted, CQC, DfE, NHS (ENGLAND, Youth Custody Service and HMPPS on regulatory or practice changes in SCH’s. Francis has a particular interest and focus on leadership and management development within living environments and is keen to adapt and combine trauma informed practice and industrial models of leadership (Kaizen, lean approach) into social care models of management.
Ian Thomas Consultant Social Worker Ian is a qualified & registered Social Worker with professional experience of working in international childcare reform, supporting NGO’s and Governments with an agenda towards deinstitutionalisation. Ian has over ten years experience of working in the UK foster care sector, offering training and support to foster carers and children and young people engagement and participation. Ian is a passionate activist /public speaker, presenting his learning on the internal and external factors impacting children, young people and adults affected by alternative care, addiction, trauma and marginalisation on international platforms. Ian is on a personal mission to continue to understand himself and inspire understanding and compassion towards human adversity. Ian is a former looked after child, who lived with around 20 foster families and several children’s homes. He entered the criminal justice system aged 10 and left care aged 16 and soon after spent three years incarcerated through a battle with class A drug addiction. In the last 12 years Ian’s recovery has been one of personal development and educational attainment. Ian’s work has involved producing research, publications and TED Talks exploring the issues he has worked in and lived through in his personal and professional capacity.
Glenn Wilce Education Consultant Glenn’s teaching career has spanned 35 years during which time he has taught in a variety of settings including state comprehensives, independent single sex colleges, overseas appointments and special education facilities. His success in engaging disengaged, traumatised young people in education, and his ability to lead by example, led him from the classroom to positions in senior management. Glenn’s strength in promoting high expectations in the delivery of a quality education, ensures the complex needs of young learners are met. He is a strong advocate of the need for accountability within schools, to ensure every opportunity is given to young learners to thrive and achieve in an environment fit for purpose. Glenn has delivered training to tutors across a local authority to improve their practice. He has also served on a board of trustees to advise on a secure education provision. As a headteacher of a successful Secure Children’s Home, Glenn is proactive in developing systems that combine current educational approaches with trauma informed practice.
Afshan Ahmad Consultant Social Worker Afshan is a qualified social worker with 30 years’ experience in the areas of residential childcare, preparation for independence, counselling, support services for sexually abused young women, fostering services and most recently worked for a charity supporting care experienced people. Previously, Afshan was a Project Development Manager and Life Story Work Consultant. She has presented international workshops, produced training for carers, professionals and young people, co-authored articles on life story work and direct work with children and has also co-produced films and training tools. Afshan has been a foster carer since 2014. She currently works part-time as an Independent Social Worker and is a Panel Member on both Fostering and Adoption Panels.
Training courses
Organisations we work with
Delegates will begin to understand how trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) can have a life-long impact on individuals and how we can support them. We will explore what we mean by Trauma Informed Practice from a practitioner and organisational perspective.
Suitable for:
Anyone working work directly or indirectly with children and young people who have experienced childhood trauma or
adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s).
Time:
3 hours
Delivery:
Online
Learning Outcomes:
The nature and widespread occurrence of trauma is understood
The impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) is understood
The impact of trauma on individuals is recognised
Key principals for aiding recovery and avoiding re-traumatisation are understood
Workers demonstrate good self-care and can access appropriate workplace support
Please contact us to discuss costings and your training requirements