Macc attended the Health Scrutiny Committee meeting on 7 September. Three reports were discussed at the meeting. Firstly, a report was delivered by the Director of Public Health, which focused on the work of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma Informed Practice. Manchester aims to be an ACE aware, trauma informed and trauma responsive city. ACEs describes a wide range of stressful or traumatic experiences occurring from birth to 18 years including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Trauma in childhood can impact children’s ability to learn, think and interact and can often lead to developing disease or harmful behaviour like smoking or alcoholism. ACE training adopts a trauma-informed approach which asks, ‘What happened to you?’ instead of ‘What’s wrong with you?’ and works in a strength-based way. Five community hubs have been set up in Blackley, Cheetham, Clayton, Gorton and Wythenshawe. These are all led by a voluntary sector organisation and/or a school, and offer safe spaces where residents can connect and engage in positive activities.
Juanita Margerison from the Resonance Centre spoke passionately about the work at the centre which works on trauma informed principles and the hugely positive impact this can make for people with long term physical health concerns. The Resonance Centre is extending their yoga work in schools for children and their families as teachers are seeing the significant health benefits for the whole family.
Some of the other work being done by VCSE colleagues is listed below:
- 4CT have been commissioned in North Manchester to implement trauma informed and trauma responsive approaches
- 84 Youth and Odd Arts are working to explore community-based violence and trauma
- Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH) is co-producing training on the gendered element of being trauma responsive
- De Paul (a homeless charity) are using physical activity and creativity to provide social connection and build resilience in the young people they work with
- The Melissus Project (supporting people with housing issues and complex needs) are partnering with Gaddum to deliver trauma-informed drop-in sessions with Carers Manchester, Europia (EU national support charity) and African & Caribbean Mental Health Services
- Modelling trauma informed approaches with Manchester City of Sanctuary in their work with families seeking refuge
- Healthy Me Healthy Communities (food focused initiatives including community grocers), are delivering trauma workshops to service users and train staff to deliver the workshops
- SimplyInnerWorks delivering ‘Reconnect’ a six-week healing and educational programme for South Asian women who have suffered and experienced systemic abuse
- Thrive Manchester in Benchill setting up a Public Living Room to engage with their community https://www.camerados.org/set-up-a-public-livingroom/
- Thrive Manchester are also piloting a series of workshops for adults who have lived experience
- Facilitating the delivery of the Healing Together programme that supports children impacted by domestic abuse https://www.healing-together.co.uk/. The delivery partners are 4CT, Big Manchester, Catalyst Psychology, Children’s Society, Early Break, Manchester Women’s Aid, Thrive Manchester and the Wise Owl Trust
- There is also a huge amount of ACEs work and training delivered by colleagues in housing, criminal justice, education and health (specifically GP practices).
The meeting also included a report from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, outlining their current services including work with Greater Manchester Police. Currently a nurse practitioner accompanies GMP officers on appropriate call out between Friday and Sundays only but this will become a seven days a week service by the end of October 2022. The urgent care Green Room facility for people in mental health crisis is currently only available at North Manchester General Hospital but will be available at the MRI by December 2022 and plans to offer this at Wythenshawe Hospital are in development. People can self-refer, be signposted or redirected by A&E staff. To ensure the Living Well Model is successful, GMMH believe a collaborative approach with the NHS, VCSE, and Manchester City Council and the MLCO partner’s involvement is essential.
A report from the Director of Adult Social Care on Better Outcomes, Better Lives was delivered which detailed the outcomes of this transformation programme since its development in January 2020. They are using the MY VIEWS engagement tool to support frontline staff and have developed a toolkit listing shared practice and are adopting responsive commission approaches. An example of this is working with Gaddum to develop the Commissioner Citizen Committee to bring Manchester residents and those with lived experience into the commissioning process.