Lessons from the Alaskan Family Wellness Warriors Initiative - Conference Report

Background

The World Health Organisation Report of 2002 indicated that child abuse was a global problem. Available data at that time suggested that around 20% of women and 5 to 10 % of men had suffered sexual abuse as children. Many more children had also been subjected to psychological or emotional abuse as well as neglect. The report indicated that, apart from physical injuries, child maltreatment was associated with a number of consequences. For example, alcohol and drug abuse, cognitive impairment, development delays and risk-taking factors. Many of these problems, in turn, increased the likelihood of several major adult forms of illness and disease.

In Scotland, over recent years, we have addressed support for survivors through the National Strategy for Survivors of Child Abuse, SurvivorScotland. Through the Strategy we have raised awareness, developed training and provided funding for services for survivors. It is nine years since the launch of the SurvivorScotland strategy and, in recognising what has been achieved, we felt it important to consider what still needs to be done.

Both the Nuka model of care and FWWI are world renowned initiatives. Over recent years officials from NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government have engaged with Southcentral Foundation to learn more from these models.

The "Nuka System of Care" is a healthcare system created, managed, and owned by Alaskan Native people to achieve physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. It is an innovative, relationship based, customer-driven system of health care which has been in place for over twenty five years.

FWWI is Southcentral Foundation's state-wide education and training program designed to address domestic violence, child sexual abuse and child neglect. It aims to encourage wellness in each of these areas in the individual, the family, and the community. The overarching aim is to eliminate domestic violence, child sexual abuse and child neglect within a generation.

As the Scottish Government is committed to a person centred approach to health and social care, we felt it appropriate to engage with both the people who deliver our services and, crucially, with those who use those services. The overall purpose of this engagement was to consider whether a model of support for survivors of childhood abuse, similar to FWWI, might be appropriate for Scotland.