Report of the Deputy Director of Public Health

This report is an update to a report considered at the meeting of the committee on 7 September 2022 on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma Informed Practice.

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Director of Public Health that provided an update to a report considered at the meeting of the committee on 7 September 2022 on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma Informed Practice.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an update on the work done to strengthen the ACEs programme objectives, through extensive engagement and consultation with stakeholders to ensure that the programme was fit for purpose following the impact of COVID-19 and within the context of Making Manchester Fairer;

·         Providing an update on the ACEs and Trauma programme of work across the city including a good practice example of culture change from Manchester Housing Services and a collaboration between Z-Arts and the Burnage Academy for Boys; and

·         Next steps.

The Committee then heard from Celine Doyle, Mental Health Lead, Burnage Academy for Boys. She described the art project that had been delivered at the school that engaged with 13 boys who had experienced displacement from their country of birth. She spoke of the positive outcomes that the boys experienced via the project and the legacy this had provided for the school. The Committee welcomed this testimony and the positive contribution this had made to the young people. The Programme Lead described this was one of the four schools and four creative providers using a trauma informed lens.

The Committee further welcomed the case study that related to the work of Housing Services. The Head of Neighbourhood Services stated that Housing Services were a key partner in North Manchester and Trauma Informed Practice was embedded in their approach, adding that this was the only approach that worked. The Chair acknowledged this powerful statement.

The Committee then received a written statement from Councillor Doswell, Lead Member for Trauma Informed that had been submitted. In her statement Councillor Doswell spoke of her own experience of Adverse Childhood Experiences, praising the staff involved with this work and endorsing the report to the Committee. The Chair thanked Councillor Doswell for her continued commitment to this area of work.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

·         Was the work described shared and implemented by other housing providers and other key partners, such as the police;

·         Welcoming the positive contribution this work had delivered for the city, recognising that this approach and understanding would continue to be rolled out across different sectors and partners; and

·         The need to ensure this work was embedded across services for all generations, not just young people.

The Head of Neighbourhood Services advised that there was a desire from different housing providers to deliver and adopt this work, recognising that some were at different stages in this work. She said that there was a Housing Group who met regularly, and this area of work was discussed and provided a forum to share good practice. Celine Doyle, Mental Health Lead, Burnage Academy for Boys commented that there were a lot of schools adopting the Trauma Informed model of practice. She referred to the Trauma Informed Network of Schools that would help build traction across the secondary school sector in Manchester. She added that an evaluation of this work and the outcomes of this would be undertaken.

The Deputy Director of Public Health informed the Committee that an element of the Making Manchester Fairer Work Force Development Group considered how Trauma Informed Practice would be embedded across all services, including all age groups. She further commented that one of the themes of the Making Manchester Fairer Plan was to consider Community power and social connections and she recognised that the Police were a key partner in this work and conversations would include how they could adopt Trauma Informed Practice.

The Programme Lead stated that consideration was always been given as to how this work could be expanded, noting that since September 2022 over 1,000 individuals have attended a training session. This included elected members, staff from the Manchester Jewish Museum, the Afro-Caribbean Alliance, MCC Homelessness Directorate, Manchester Sensory Support Service, Department for Work and Pensions, a number of schools, Greater Manchester Police, Primary Care, housing providers and a range of voluntary sector organisations. With specific reference to work with the police he described the training delivered to officers working within the Violence Reduction Unit and to PCSOs. He acknowledged that more needed to be done, especially with the training of new recruits to the police service. The Chair made reference to her experience of the police who had undertaken this training and the positive difference this had made in how they interacted with young people and their families.

The Programme Lead commented that he welcomed the continued support of the Committee for this area of work and he acknowledged the observations from the Members in regard to other sectors that would benefit from this approach and training, including Care Homes.

The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care commented that he respected and endorsed the ambitions as described within the report. He added that the refreshed ACEs and Trauma Responsive Programme needed to include discussion and consideration of the significant impact the pandemic had on citizens of all ages, adding that the impact of the pandemic and associated trauma would be realised for many years to come.

Decision

To note the report.