Implementing trauma-informed practice across services to support people experiencing multiple disadvantage: a mixed method study.
| Title: | Implementing trauma-informed practice across services to support people experiencing multiple disadvantage: a mixed method study. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Farr M; The National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK. m.farr@bristol.ac.uk.; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. m.farr@bristol.ac.uk.; Eyles E; The National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.; Stone T; The National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.; Redaniel MT; The National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.; National Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, Ireland.; Traub T; Independent Futures, Second Step, Bristol, UK.; Burrowes J; Independent Futures, Second Step, Bristol, UK.; Halsley R; Independent Futures, Second Step, Bristol, UK.; Williams K; Changing Futures Bristol, Bristol City Council, Bristol, UK.; Edwards A; Second Step, Bristol, UK.; Redwood S; The National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. |
| Source: | BMC health services research [BMC Health Serv Res] 2025 Oct 01; Vol. 25 (1), pp. 1266. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Oct 01. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101088677 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1472-6963 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14726963 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Health Serv Res Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2001- |
| MeSH Terms: | Vulnerable Populations*/psychology ; Ill-Housed Persons*/psychology; Humans ; Qualitative Research ; Male ; Female ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; England ; Domestic Violence |
| Abstract: | Background: People facing multiple disadvantage have often experienced extensive trauma. Changing Futures Bristol was part of a national programme to improve outcomes for people who face multiple disadvantage, such as combinations of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill-health, domestic violence and abuse or contact with the criminal justice system. Aims were to understand how services could be improved, with more trauma-informed approaches at individual, service and system levels. An in-depth mixed method evaluation of Changing Futures Bristol examined how trauma-informed approaches were implemented and linked across services supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage.; Methods: The study followed a participatory action research approach, involving research conducted in collaboration with people who have experienced multiple disadvantage, and staff partners. Collaborators actively contributed to securing funding, research design, data analysis, and write-up. A staff survey was conducted using existing measures and some tailored questions, to assess perceptions of trauma-informed approaches, equality, diversity and inclusion, and co-production. One hundred and seventeen staff responded, with 30 staff completing the survey again after one year to track any changes. Twenty-three staff members were interviewed. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, guided by trauma-informed principles and implementation domains.; Results: Movement toward more trauma-informed approaches was detected, although these changes were not found to be statistically significant after one year. Barriers included short-term funding and commissioning cycles and difficulties in staff retention, due to short-term contracts, vicarious trauma, stress and pressures of the job. Managers had to hold contradicting drivers to deliver targets and manage finances whilst creating space for relational support and trauma-informed practice. To create psychological safety, staff needed to feel trust and transparency. 73% of staff reported lived experience of at least one domain of multiple disadvantage or trauma. Support for staff is needed at all levels of the organisation.; Conclusions: A long-term, collaborative, and trauma-informed approach is needed at all levels, including leaders, managers, policymakers, and central government. Government and public service reforms that focus on cross-sector collaboration and devolution of power will support trauma-informed practices. Stable, long-term funding and planning will help create a motivated, skilled workforce that can build on existing good practice.; (© 2025. The Author(s).) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The University of Bristol Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee approved the research, reference 12277. The local authority also approved this study, BNSSG ICB reference: 2022- 087 and BCC reference: 2022-020. All interview and survey participants completed informed consent procedures. All research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki ethical principles for health research involving human participants. Consent for publication: Not Applicable. Competing interests: Katherine Williams is Director of Changing Futures and is seconded from Bristol City Council, the accountable body for Changing Futures Bristol. Aileen Edwards is Director of Second Step, the lead delivery partner of Changing Futures Bristol. Thomas Traub, Jason Burrowes, and Rebecca Halsley are members of Independent Futures. Independent Futures received funding via the NIHR Three Research Schools Mental Health Practice Evaluation Scheme Grant Reference Number: MH021 for their time to get involved to co-produce this research. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests. University of Bristol researchers collected all data to maintain independence and anonymity of this research, and Changing Futures and Independent Futures members were involved in anonymised analysis after an initial, independent analysis had been conducted by University of Bristol researchers. |
| References: | Milbank Q. 2022 Sep;100(3):785-853. (PMID: 36161340); Eur J Public Health. 2017 Oct 1;27(suppl_4):18-21. (PMID: 29028245); Trauma Violence Abuse. 2020 Oct;21(4):725-740. (PMID: 30079827); BMC Med Res Methodol. 2013 Sep 18;13:117. (PMID: 24047204); BMC Med. 2020 Nov 16;18(1):325. (PMID: 33190642); Eval Program Plann. 2023 Apr;97:102229. (PMID: 36645954); J Trauma Dissociation. 2014;15(2):117-32. (PMID: 24617751); Am J Community Psychol. 2019 Dec;64(3-4):418-437. (PMID: 31469452); Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2007 Nov 27;5:63. (PMID: 18042300); BMC Health Serv Res. 2022 Apr 2;22(1):434. (PMID: 35366859); Perspect Psychol Sci. 2023 May;18(3):675-687. (PMID: 36288462); Lancet. 2018 Jan 20;391(10117):241-250. (PMID: 29137869); J Epidemiol Community Health. 2021 Oct;75(10):1010-1018. (PMID: 33893182); Health Expect. 2023 Oct;26(5):1895-1914. (PMID: 37430474); Policy Polit. 2023 Oct 1;51(4):695-717. (PMID: 39512750); Health Policy. 2021 Jul;125(7):899-914. (PMID: 33966903); Eur J Public Health. 2022 Apr 1;32(2):176-190. (PMID: 34436575); BMC Health Serv Res. 2022 Sep 14;22(1):1164. (PMID: 36104750); J Clin Epidemiol. 2001 Apr;54(4):343-9. (PMID: 11297884); BMC Health Serv Res. 2022 Feb 11;22(1):178. (PMID: 35148761) |
| Grant Information: | MH021 NIHR Three Research Schools Mental Health Practice Evaluation Scheme |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Addiction; Co-production; Homelessness; Mental health; Multiple disadvantage; Trauma-informed; Violence or abuse |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20251002 Date Completed: 20251002 Latest Revision: 20251005 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12487007 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12913-025-13339-8 |
| PMID: | 41034961 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article