Learning from a multi-agency trauma-informed care training initiative supporting people experiencing homelessness in rural and coastal areas: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND

People experiencing homelessness have often faced both historical and ongoing trauma, which can be compounded by their interactions with different support services. Trauma-informed care aims to meet the complex needs of people who have experienced trauma and prevent re-traumatisation during service interactions. In rural and coastal areas, where services are often geographically dispersed, multi-agency approaches are particularly crucial for ensuring continuous, coordinated support. This study examines the learning from implementing a multi-agency trauma-informed training pilot for providers supporting people experiencing homelessness.

METHODS

A qualitative study was undertaken following a trauma-informed care training pilot delivered to health and social care providers in Northumberland and North Tyneside, two geographically diverse rural and coastal areas in North East England. Those who attended the training were invited to take part in follow-up semi-structured interviews, thirteen out of 16 attendees participated, representing healthcare, emergency care, housing, voluntary sector, and social care services. Interviews explored how training influenced trauma-informed practice and cross-service collaboration.

RESULTS

Interviews highlighted the value that participants of the training found in bringing different services together for undertaking trauma-informed training, and the opportunity for shared learning amongst those who provide care for people with multiple needs and interacting with different services. Three key themes were identified from the thematic analysis: (1) training cultivated awareness, sensitivity and compassion in communication across services (2) the need to foster support and trauma sensitivity through multi-agency collaboration and wider-system engagement and (3) building organisational and individual resilience through shared learning and coordinated supportive practices.

CONCLUSIONS

Multi-agency trauma-informed training helps ensure consistent approaches across geographically dispersed services supporting people experiencing homelessness. When staff from different organisations train together, it builds a shared understanding of trauma, encourages collaborative working, and supports staff wellbeing. This integrated approach is particularly valuable in rural and coastal areas where service coordination can be challenging due to geographical dispersion and resource constraints.