With growing awareness of the prevalence and impact of trauma, and the publication of a trauma competency framework for the entire Scottish workforce, there is currently a considerable amount of collective attention focused on ensuring that services and systems support the needs of people affected by trauma, and at the very least ‘do no harm’. This is not always an easy task, however, especially in such a complex setting as a prison.
A joint report between Barnardo’s Scotland and CYCJ, by Lisa Thomson (previously with Barnardo’s), has been published today, that reflects upon the challenges and opportunities of implementing a trauma, bereavement and loss service for women in prison. Drawing upon the experiences of Barnardo’s practitioners, and on informal focus groups held with women in prison and the prison staff that support them, it is hoped that this paper will shine a light on some of these complexities.
Barnardo’s continue to deliver a trauma, bereavement and loss service ‘Here and Now’ to both males and females in HMP & YOI Polmont, and have commissioned CYCJ to undertake an evaluation of the service provided to females. The evaluation report will be available later this year.