Provision of Trauma Informed Practice Training and Support for Children's and Families Service

The London Borough of Redbridge is seeking provision for Trauma Informed Practice training for Children's Social Work Staff, partner agencies and foster carers.

Trauma includes a wide range of situations where people are physically threatened, hurt or violated, or when they witness others in these situations. This includes experiences of childhood physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence or witnessing domestic violence. The impact of living through traumatic events, especially multiple events over the course of a lifetime, can result in a range of behavioural health problems including substance abuse, depression, anxiety problems, childhood behavioural disorders, psychosis, and some personality disorder diagnoses.

Trauma-informed practice incorporates the assessment of trauma and trauma symptoms into all routine practice; it also ensures that children, young people and families have access to trauma-focused interventions that treat the consequences of traumatic stress. Trauma informed practice is a strengths-based approach and will support frontline practitioners to focus on:

• "What happened to you?" rather than "What is wrong with you?" • Approaching families with empathy. • Building stable and trusting relationships that empower children and families. • Understanding power differentials between families and practitioners, and how to reduce them. • Being gender and culturally sensitive. • Reducing the risk of re-traumatisation for both the child and family where for safeguarding reasons children are removed from families. • Supporting placement stability and avoiding frequent placement moves. • Promoting and supporting positive relationships between children and their families, wider social and community networks.

The contract is for approximately three years. The intended commencement date is estimated to be December 2021 to January 2024.

Additional information: The intention is to publish this tender opportunity on the Waltham Forest dynamic purchasing system for specialist professional services mid October. In order to gain access to the procurement documents and to submit a tender, you must be an approved supplier on the DPS. For more information on how to register on the DPS to be an approved supplier, please email Michael.Mansa-Ray@Walthamforest.gov.uk, Georgina.Asumadu@walthamforest.gov.uk and ProfessionalServices.DPS@psprocure.co.uk.

Please note the dates displayed for this project in this notice are indicative and may be subject to slight change.