LB Hillingdon - Residential Staff Trauma-Informed Practice Training

Background

A 2-day CPD-accredited training programme on trauma-informed practice was delivered to residential staff in Hillingdon to strengthen their understanding of trauma and improve day-to-day care for residents.

This training was commissioned in response to increasing recognition of the impact of trauma on children and young people in residential care. It aligns with Hillingdon Council’s commitment to embedding trauma-informed approaches and promoting the wellbeing of both residents and staff.

Aims of the Training Programme

The programme aimed to:

• Build understanding of trauma, including its impact on the brain, body, and behaviour.
• Develop confidence in recognising, responding to and avoiding re-traumatisation.
• Strengthen skills in supporting recovery and building resilience in residents.
• Increase awareness of intersectionality and its role in trauma experiences.
• Equip staff with practical tools and techniques for trauma-informed care.
• Enhance awareness of staff wellbeing, including compassion fatigue, secondary trauma and strategies for resilience.

Overview of Training Content

Key areas included:

• Understanding Trauma: definitions, types, neurobiology, and links to behaviour.
• Trauma-Informed Practice Principles: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment and avoiding re-traumatisation.
• Recognising and Responding to Trauma: behavioural and emotional manifestations, co-regulation strategies, grounding and de-escalation techniques.
• Intersectionality: awareness of how race, gender, neurodiversity and other identities affect trauma experiences.
• Resilience and Recovery: supporting residents’ recovery, protective factors and skill-building.
• Staff Wellbeing: compassion fatigue, secondary and vicarious trauma and personal/ team-based resilience strategies.
• Experiential Learning: case studies, role-play, reflective exercises and applied practice.

Impact on Practice

Staff Learning Outcomes from Trauma-Informed Practice Training

Staff demonstrated significant growth in understanding trauma and its impact on the children and young people they support. Key learning points included:

• Recognition of Trauma in children: Staff gained awareness that many children in their care have experienced trauma, often complicated by the non-permanent nature of residential placements. One staff member shared, “A lot of the children I work with have trauma, this goes unmanageable as we are not a permanent setting, having tools and knowledge to be able to recognise and help them.” They now feel better equipped with tools and knowledge to identify trauma and its effects.
• Enhanced Understanding of Behaviour: There is a clear shift towards seeing challenging behaviours as trauma responses rather than simply misbehaviour. Staff expressed increased ability to spot signs and triggers and respond with empathy. As one reflected, “I will be able to spot signs and triggers of behaviour and be able to support them positively, by helping to regulate them, relate with their feelings and reason with them.”
• Importance of Language and Communication: Staff learned how language—both what is said and how it is said—can deeply influence a young person’s sense of safety and connection. A participant noted, “Training has helped me understand how the language we use can affect someone, how we see them leading to them becoming disconnected and how to support the young people.”
• Application of Practical Skills: Many staff committed to putting trauma-informed approaches into practice. One said, “It has taught me to look at things differently and how language can affect the young people I work with—most interestingly, language that cares.” They also showed understanding of when to refer for additional specialist support, such as CAMHS.
• Holistic Understanding: Staff now better appreciate the complexity behind behaviours, linking feelings and actions to trauma experiences, supporting more positive, compassionate care. As one participant put it, “Better understanding of how and why they are feeling/acting the way they are.”

Overall, the training empowered staff to move from simply managing behaviours to truly understanding and supporting the whole person—enhancing care quality and relationships with young people.

Outcomes

• Increased staff confidence in trauma-informed approaches.
• Improved ability to recognise, respond to, and prevent re-traumatisation.
• Greater consistency in care aligned with Hillingdon trauma-informed principles.
• Enhanced engagement with residents, supporting recovery and resilience.
• Stronger awareness of intersectionality and individual needs.
• Staff better equipped to manage personal wellbeing and sustain effective practice.