On Saturday 3rd June, Foster Care Connect hosted the screening of the award winning documentary Resilience “ The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope. The documentary is currently being jointly screened across Scotland to help raise awareness of the impact of childhood trauma by the organisations: Dartmouth films, connected baby, Re-Attachment and NHS Health Scotland.
The findings of the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, published in 1998, revealed the most important health findings of a generation. Scientists now realise that extreme childhood trauma is one of the leading causes of everything from heart disease and cancer to substance misuse and depression.
The screening brought together a number of individuals from across a range of professional areas. Foster Care Connect launched the event and shared with the audience the idea of “thinking differently” about how we support children and young people who have experienced extreme childhood trauma. Lisa Angus, Learning and Development Coordinator with Foster Care Connect, spoke about how every public and voluntary sector service in Scotland will be expected to be trauma-informed and that services will need to change their question when working with individuals from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What has happened to you?”
The session was supported by a Panel of experts working in this specialist area. They included Graham Goulden, from the Violence Reduction Unit, Silke Herkes and Tamzin Baxter, both from Children 1st. The documentary was followed up with an interesting Panel discussion with a mutual sharing of questions and answers between the Panel and the audience. The Panel shared their professional expertise with others which proved invaluable in raising awareness of the positive approaches that can be taken.
In response to feedback on the day, a decision was made to set up a Borders Trauma-Informed Practice Network as a positive step forward in continuing to raise awareness in our local area. It is envisaged that this will be an opportunity to share best practice to help improve the outcomes for children and young people who have experienced trauma. The network will be open to anyone interested in making a difference. It is hoped that the first meeting will take place at the end of August in Galashiels. Date and time to be confirmed. If you would like to know more about or be part of this please contact Lisa Angus at ku.oc.tcennoccfnull@asil. Everyone is welcome.
