Supporting trauma risk management in Wiltshire Council

Social work is a wonderfully challenging, unpredictable and rewarding career.

We can be privy to incredibly personal and unique life stories which is of course a privilege. However, over time, that exposure to multiple narratives may render us at risk of vicarious or secondary trauma.

In a social work context, secondary trauma can occur by being directly or indirectly exposed to death or threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, actual or threatened sexual violence by direct exposure, witnessing in person as well as being exposed to repeated/extreme adverse details of events in the course of professional duties.  

The impact of such trauma can potentially lead to negative coping strategies, both with yourself and externally with those you work with, increased sickness levels or even a change in career.

Wiltshire Council acknowledged the concerns and risks of such trauma and we set about finding a response.

We discovered the work of Professor Neil Greenberg who has worked for over twenty years with military personnel as a psychiatrist and researcher. He, along with a team, developed a support the military, in the first instance, and gradually its reach has expanded to other organisations, from blue light services, such as the police and fire service, to the NHS and now social work/care.

One aspect of the approach I liked was the long research history which gave us confidence. I believed the straightforward process could translate into social work, it seemed flexible with little bureaucracy and avoided a medical model, and it prioritised confidentiality. Furthermore, it is non-hierarchical. I believed we could get over potential barriers of staff trust and sustaining the support with these facets.

Initially eight staff, with two trained as coordinators, undertook the training via March on Stress and we started live September 2021. Practitioners in both adult and children’s services were selected as practitioners based upon certain key qualities and priorities, which included:

• diversity,
• professionalism,
• confidentiality,
• non-hierarchical in nature.

The Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) process involves using a structured template which has a scoring system. This enables the Trimmer (the person facilitating the TRiM process) to be able to assess wellbeing over a period of a month. There is an initial one-hour session followed by a check-in and a month follow up. The point scoring is used to highlight  potential areas of trauma.

We are aware that staff might not seek help after being exposed to a traumatic event for many reasons, such as fear of being perceived as weak by managers, effects on promotional prospects, and losing the trust of peers.

Mindful of potential barriers, we were committed to a simple process for staff to access an internal service confidentially with no paperwork, and which intentionally avoided medical terms such as referral; we prefer request. Our priority was ensuring that staff could be confident that the service is non-judgemental.

Non-hierarchy took away any potential messages of staff being perceived as weak or underperforming – we wanted to normalise the idea that sometimes finding events at work difficult and challenging is a normal response to our work.

We promoted the service initially in team meetings and staff forums. TRiM is mentioned in all inductions, in our supervision templates and at team meetings. We are finding that word of mouth has been an effective way to embed the service.

Roll on a year or so, we are pleased how TRiM has developed. As well as Council initiatives to support staff’s wellbeing, TRiM is offered to practitioners, our business support, and our foster carers. We have found the overarching theme for a TRiM request is bereavement – in its widest context; this can be a family breakdown, a child’s home break down, as well as death.

Feedback from staff includes:

A Trimmer said of the service:

In terms of where we go next, we are looking towards developing TRiM across the whole council, promoting TRiM across the South West and our teaching partnership local authorities.

TRiM has helped us to acknowledge that this work is incredibly emotionally challenging. Having access to this support decreases mindsets of apathy and poor locus of control.

From a Wiltshire perspective, this support has brought wellbeing into open discussion; whilst the support is confidential, practitioners are often happy to say they have received this support which has the impact of staff feeling able to talk openly about their wellbeing.

We hope that by using the TRiM process, we can continue to support wellbeing and resilience, and reduce the impact of secondary trauma on social work colleagues across the organisation.