Findings from a Peer Support and Learning Group pilot to support Trauma Informed Practice in Adult Social Care

1. Background

1.1 Background

The Scottish Government's ambition, shared with COSLA, is for a trauma-informed and trauma-responsive workforce and services 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

This ambition is supported by the National Trauma Transformation Programme (NTTP). Recognising the significant challenges that have faced the adult social care sector throughout the Covid pandemic, this project aimed to explore whether a Peer Support and Learning Group model could help facilitate shared learning and reflections in relation to embedding trauma-informed practice in their services.

1.2 Aim

This project exploring Trauma Informed Practice (TIP) in the Scottish Adult Social Care Sector had several aims, including to:

• Determine whether a facilitated Peer Support and Learning (PSL) Group model is an acceptable and effective method of supporting implementation of TIP in residential care settings, including consideration of different models of ownership, service size, and model of service provision.
• Test a PSL model as a means of enabling Care Home workers to come together in navigating common challenges associated with embedding TIP in residential care services with a view to exploring whether this model could be developed and tested in a wider sample of Adult Social Care providers in Scotland.
• Utilise the PSL Group format to raise awareness of, and implementation of, the learning resources provided by the National Trauma Transformation Programme.
• Consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of a PSL Group designed to support Care Homes in embedding TIP.
• Explore whether the concept of PSL Groups could be further developed and tested in a wider sample of services across the Adult Social Care Sector in Scotland and to determine any additional infrastructure required to support dissemination and implementation.