How to support trauma-informed practice in the justice sector
Two new online learning modules launching next month and developed in partnership by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) will prove valuable resources to support a trauma informed justice system for victims and witnesses.
Victims and witnesses who have experienced trauma because of a crime often report that the criminal justice process can intensify their trauma, hampering the quality of the evidence they were able to give and preventing their recovery.
The new online learning modules will support the implementation of the informed and skilled levels of the Trauma Informed Justice Knowledge and Skills Framework for working with Victims and Witnesses framework which was published in 2023. The framework acknowledges the negative impact the criminal justice system can have on the ability of victims and witnesses to effectively engage in the process and to recover, and identifies the knowledge and skills needed by people who work with them to prevent further harm, and support their safe and effective engagement. NES has recently produced a brief animation to introduce the framework which you can view on the National Trauma Transformation Programme website
NES worked with key Victims Taskforce partners and victims and witnesses to produce the online learning modules. All members of the Victims Taskforce have committed to implement the framework across their staff and operations.
NES Psychology is working directly with many key justice organisations, including Police Scotland, the Crown Office, the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service, the Law Society and the Judicial Institute to assist their development of appropriate training and implementation support. We are also involved in the direct delivery of some training, including a substantial programme of enhanced trauma training with the Judicial Institute to all judges sitting in the high court, and by end of 2025, to all sheriffs sitting in sheriff and summary courts.
A launch event for the two online learning resources will take place online 6 November 2024.
Find out more information about the online webinar and how to register.
October, 28 2024