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Becoming trauma-informed helps us understand. Becoming trauma-responsive helps us act. But our ultimate goal, the heart of all of this, is trauma recovery . If we stop at awareness and adaptation, we risk staying in survival mode, both for ourselves and the people we support. True trauma recovery is about reconnection, safety, and meaning . It’s about helping people move beyond simply coping to genuinely living. What Trauma Recovery Really Means Trauma recovery isn’t about er

Becoming trauma-informed starts with awareness. Becoming trauma-responsive starts with action. But real change, the kind that lasts, comes when organisations themselves become trauma-responsive. That means moving beyond individual good practice and creating systems, policies, and cultures that consistently respond to trauma with understanding, compassion, and care . Because one trauma-aware professional can make a difference. A trauma-responsive system can change lives. Cultu

When we talk about trauma, care, and custody, we’re not talking about three separate worlds we’re often talking about one connected story. Many children who enter care have already experienced instability, loss, or harm. Some of those same children later find themselves in custody, often carrying the same unhealed wounds that were never properly seen, heard, or understood. That’s why trauma-responsive practice  in these settings isn’t just important, it’s essential. Trauma Li

In recent years, the term “trauma-informed” has gained traction across various sectors, including social care, education, and justice. We often discuss awareness, understanding, and compassion. These are all vital steps. However, awareness alone isn’t sufficient. The next step is becoming trauma-responsive . Awareness vs. Action Being trauma-informed means recognising that trauma affects how individuals perceive and interact with the world. In contrast, being trauma-responsi

Every so often, the professional world adopts a new phrase that seems to appear everywhere in meetings, training sessions, and policy documents. Right now, “trauma-informed”  seems to be that phrase. Some roll their eyes and ask, “Is this just another buzzword?”  It’s a fair question because if we don’t stop to unpack what it really means, that’s exactly what it risks becoming. More Than a Trend Being trauma-informed isn’t about ticking a box or attending a single training s

We often hear it said that all a child needs is love and safety. And yes those two things are essential. They are the very foundations of...

When we look at children in care and care leavers, what do we see? Do we see problems? Risks? Wounds? Or do we see strength? Survival?...

The first night in care is not just another night. For a child, it can feel like their whole world has been turned upside down....

Imagine walking into a place meant to nurture you, teach you, and help you grow. Instead, you are met with punishment, exclusion, and...

Every child deserves to be seen for who they are, not where they’ve come from. However, for children in care and care leavers, society...

There’s a silence in prison that isn’t peace, it’s the weight of too many untold stories. Walk down the corridors of any youth offender...

For many care leavers, hyper-vigilance isn’t just a habit, it’s a survival tool. Growing up in environments shaped by trauma,...

No baby pictures. No dusty albums filled with memories, no grainy videos capturing my first steps. There’s no one to tell you if you were...

For many care leavers, life has been less about thriving and more about surviving. From an early age, we’ve learned to navigate...

There’s a moment when you look in the mirror and don’t recognise the person staring back at you. Not because you’ve changed in the way...

Imagine a child in a wheelchair arriving at school, only to find there is no ramp. They can see the classroom, they want to learn, but...

Theatre for Change: Giving Care-Experienced Young People a Voice For care-experienced young people, the world often feels like a stage...

When a child in care acts out, through anger, defiance, or withdrawal, society often labels them as "troubled" or "difficult." But behind...

Imagine your first breath being taken behind prison walls, your earliest sounds echoing off cold, institutional surfaces. Your life...

Can you imagine, packing your entire life into a bin liner. Clothes, treasured memories, and all your belongings stuffed into a...