Reducing Systemic Trauma Developing Systemic Resilience: The Social and Economic Case for Transformational Change was recently published by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). This webinar, hosted by the WMCA, will formally launch the report. In the foreword to the report Claire Dhami, Head of Systems Change and Inclusion at the WMCA, said:
“The evidence presented here is both sobering and galvanising. We see clearly the high social and economic costs of adversity and trauma, and the limitations of current trauma-informed practice when it is not embedded within a broader, systemic framework. Yet we also see the transformative potential of investing in resilient communities, supporting families, and designing services that “do no harm” and actively promote healing and inclusion.”
This is a nationally significant report that moves beyond the individualisation of trauma and resilience and argues that both are systemic phenomena that require addressing strategically and more broadly at a societal level. Some of the substantive findings are:
- The increasing evidence that harm from early adversity should be considered much more broadly than adverse childhood experiences (ACEs);
- Whilst adversity and trauma can occur throughout life, such factors are more evident in vulnerable groups e.g. those affected by povertisation and racialisation;
- Becoming trauma-informed is an essential beginning, however, to be effective requires an ongoing focus on preventing trauma, strengthening communities, identifying those who have been traumatised and ensuring they receive appropriate help and support;
- The need to ensure that services do no harm, responding effectively to promote the wellbeing of those individuals who have been affected by adversity in order to prevent or heal trauma;
- For transformational change to occur a multi-layered strategic approach to prevent and reduce trauma is needed.
This webinar will explore the substantive findings of the report and consider the implications for strategy and practice. In the webinar you will get the opportunity to hear from the authors of the report and other leading thinkers.
The main author of the report is Dr Alex Chard, Director YCTCS Ltd. The report extends the thinking he developed in Punishing Abuse, a study of eighty children in the West Midlands youth justice system, and a paper written for HMI Probation on systemic resilience.
Marc Radley, Strategic Director, CACI Children’s and Young Persons Business Unit, undertook the systems modelling for the study and co-authored that section of the report.
